Schools pitch in to help food bank

Students at several Sahuarita schools showed their Thanksgiving spirit last week by helping to collect more than 3,500 pounds of food for the Green Valley Community Food Bank.

Sahuarita Intermediate School collected more than 1,800 pounds of food, Anza Trail collected more than 1,100 pounds, and Sahuarita High School collected nearly 700 pounds, said Mike Averre, the Green Valley Community Food Bank’s warehouse supervisor.

“The schools have just been wonderful this year,” said Averre, who also thanked Canoa Ranch Golf Club, Torres Blancas Golf Club, the local Elks Lodge’s and many churches in the community for holding their own food drives.

That list also includes the many individuals from the Sahuarita and Green Valley who he says went “above and beyond.”

“Some people came in with three or four turkeys, asked us what else we needed, and came back with more donations,” Averre said. “The food bank and our clients are so thankful for the generosity of this community.”With Christmas just around the corner, the food bank is still very much in need of donations.

Items needed include: canned fruit; canned meat items, such as chili products and spaghetti with meatballs; dried pastas and Hamburger Helper mixes; frozen turkeys and hams; and paper goods, especially toilet paper.

The following local businesses have food donation boxes available throughout November and December: Arizona Self Storage, 18240 S. La Canada Dr.; Arizona Family Restaurant, 80 W. Esperanza Blvd.; Bank of America, 410 W. Continental Rd.; Bank of the West, 180 W. Continental Road No. 170; Dave Polsky Auto Center, 171 W. Continental Rd.; Edward Jones Investments, 101-28 S. La Canada Blvd.; Green Valley Cooling & Heating, 880 W. Camino Casa Verde; Jerry Bob’s Family Restaurant, 1325-195 W. Duval Mine Rd.; Long Realty, 15920 S. Rancho Sahuarita Blvd; and Washington Federal, 303 W. Esperanza Blvd.

The Green Valley Community Food Bank is located at 250 E. Continental Rd. and is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Contact the food bank at 520-625-5252.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726