On Saturday, December 7, 2024, the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club at our school led a heartfelt community service project: a food drive aimed at collecting non-perishable food and essential items for Hopelink, an organization dedicated to supporting families and individuals facing hardship. This initiative was coordinated by the club’s community service chairs, Casandra Reyes and Ijeoma Esegbue, who worked tirelessly to ensure its success.
The food drive was held at two QFC locations—Bothell and Canyon Park—where 40 FBLA members, along with parent chaperones, volunteered their time to stand outside store entrances from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They encouraged donations and handed out flyers that detailed the most needed items. The community responded generously, with hundreds of customers contributing to the cause, filling shopping carts with much-needed goods. By the end of the drive, carts overflowed with donations, which were then carefully loaded into vehicles and transported to club members’ garages for temporary storage.
However, the work didn’t stop there. In the days following the drive, volunteers meticulously sorted, counted, and boxed the collected items before delivering them to Hopelink throughout the following week. The final count was an impressive 2,309 pounds of food and 372 pounds of hygiene products, amounting to the equivalent of 1,924 meals for those in need. The variety of donations reflected the community’s thoughtfulness, including pantry staples such as canned goods, grains, and beverages, as well as hygiene products and even pet food, ensuring that every possible need was met.
It is easy to take simple necessities like food and toiletries for granted, yet thousands in our community struggle daily to secure these basic essentials. Food drives like this not only provide direct relief to families in need but also serve as an important reminder of the power of community support and awareness.
As the winter season continues and the need for assistance remains high, community members are encouraged to continue supporting local food drives and charitable organizations. Every donation—no matter how small—has the power to make a lasting impact. FBLA’s efforts have shown that when a community comes together with a shared purpose, meaningful change is possible. If you have the ability to give, consider making a donation, because even the smallest act can help change lives.
