Cherokee County student groups lend helping hand for Kids Against Hunger

The groups surpassed their goal of 20,000 meals by packaging nearly 22,000 meals.
Cherokee County student groups lend helping hand for ‘Kids Against Hunger’
Published: Jan. 26, 2023 at 11:29 PM CST
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RUSK, Texas (KTRE) - Over 100 students gathered at the Rusk High School gym to pack meals for kids across the U.S. border.

Cherokee County FFA chapters and area 4 - H clubs volunteered their time for ‘Kids Against Hunger’ Thursday morning.

Filling up meal packets with nutritious food that fights hunger, students lined up at the tables filling the packets with vitamin supplements, a vegetable, a protein, and rice. Each meal packet provides up to six meals.

Agriculture teacher Kelley Foreman said it’s a great time to get everyone involved.

“Our students are getting the chance to really get involved and find out what it’s like for other kids and young kids to go hungry and they’re getting to help out with that,’ she said.

Students were also in charge of weighing and sealing the packets for shipping.

Senior and FFA chapter president, Aden Burkhalter said it’s a humbling experience. “It’s great to see that somebody takes the time to train students to help others. In this case, it’s helping kids across the border,’ he said.

Foreman said the boxes will be sent to El Paso, where they will be distributed to orphanages in Mexico.

Sponsors included Heritage Land Bank, Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, and Cherokee Farm Bureau which provided $3,000 to the cause.

Jacob Newman doubles as regional vice president for Cherokee Farm Bureau and vice president of Heritage Land Bank. He said this is a great learning experience.

“I think it’s really, really cool to do this for the kids that are hungry. The biggest part of it, I think is getting these FFA kids and 4-H kids involved realizing how blessed they are, realizing what they have, realizing how easy their food comes by,” Newman said.

The groups surpassed their goal of 20,000 meals by packaging nearly 22,000 meals.