With various organizations within the Grand Rapids area, remembering and supporting them all can be daunting. One organization that is easy to get involved with, however, is Kids Food Basket.
Located off of Plymouth Street, the main KFB headquarters building resides there, fully equipped with a small warehouse, offices, volunteering space, learning areas, and a 10-acre farm. This non-profit organization is crucial to many families and children by helping provide them with fresh, healthy, foods. Created almost 20 years ago, KFB is just older than Eastern, yet this close relationship in age has allowed the two to foster a close relationship involving volunteering amongst high-school students.
Eastern, along with the other Forest Hills schools, each has its own student-run KFB club. Eastern’s Kids Food Basket Club is run by co-presidents James Dempsey (’25) and Muskan Rekhani (’24). Each Friday the club will meet and discuss new fundraising ideas and create volunteering opportunities for the community. Just recently, Eastern’s KFB club hosted a week-long bake sale, selling fresh breakfast items to collect funds for Kids Food Basket donations. Currently, the school is also collecting Goldfish crackers, competing against their friendly rival, Northern, who is collecting Cheese-Itz. Other opportunities to volunteer and help contribute to the cause are available year-round, such as Go Orange Week in March. Due to March being National Hunger Awareness Month, Go Orange Week is an event that emphasizes supporting individuals and families and raising awareness of the food scarcity issue.
James is an avid volunteer for the KFB organization. He has been involved since 2nd grade, helping out at the headquarters and school events. He explains that he enjoys helping out with KFB due to the friendly atmosphere that always welcomes everyone along with witnessing how strategically organized the community is. “Not only do you help people in need, but you also help yourself by doing volunteer work. It’s a great way to help both yourself and others by filling their bucket with happiness and friendliness,” James describes. He is also involved in KFB’s Youth Action Board, a group of teenagers who meet once a month to discuss more in-depth about creating new ways to gain community involvement with the organization.
School-run events are not the only way to get involved with Kids Food Basket, however. By visiting their website, you can find many current, and available volunteering or donation opportunities. It’s a way to gain a sense of community while helping the community. Be sure to check out the link below to gain some more information on this wonderful, local charity!
KFB Website Link: https://kidsfoodbasket.org/
