Call it the Triple Crown of Caring, and it belongs to South River High School.
The school swept its way to the top overall collection spots in all three categories today at the 2014 Harvest for the Hungry – Kids Helping Kids awards celebration at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. The Seahawks earned first place for the most pounds of food collected (29,986) the most money collected ($31,337.23) and the most food and money combined (280,683.84 pounds). In the latter category, each dollar accounts for eight pounds of food.
“South River and all of our schools are just incredible when it comes to their caring and compassion for others,” said Superintendent George Arlotto, who was on hand today to applaud the top schools in the annual event. “Anne Arundel County is thought of as a wealthy county, but 33 percent of our students live in poverty. We need efforts like Harvest for the Hungry to help our children and their families so that when school opens for the day, the focus can be totally on instruction and there are few worries about hunger.”
Central Special School earned the top honor for schools with 150 students or less by collecting 875 pounds of food.
All told, the 2014 drive brought in 230,288 pounds of food and $114,776.03 in cash donations. In addition to AACPS schools and offices, midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy are crucial partners in the campaign. Donations are given to the food bank and distributed right back to local families.
Following South River, the schools collecting the most pounds of food were: Davidsonville Elementary (18,361), Central Elementary (18,107), Meade High (5,574), Indian Creek School (5,220), Germantown Elementary (3,900), Nantucket Elementary (3,779), Severna Park Middle (3,655), Crofton Woods Elementary (3,504), and Shipley’s Choice Elementary (3,258).
In terms of money collected, the other top finishers were Piney Orchard Elementary ($18,381.00), Severna Park High ($17,820.00), Davidsonville Elementary ($7,055.00), Central Middle ($4,433.11), Central Elementary ($3,685.87), Jones Elementary ($3,212.28), Severna Park Middle ($2,324.28), Southern Middle ($2,079.31), and Bates Middle ($1,531.39).
In the combined donation category, other top finishers (in pounds) were Piney Orchard Elementary (147,048.00), Severna Park High (145,173.00), Davidsonville Elementary (74,801.00), Central Elementary (47,593.96), Central Middle (38,129.88), Jones Elementary (27,900.24), Severna Park Middle (22,249.24), Southern Middle (18,081.48), and Bates Middle (12,251.12).
This year’s event runs from October 5 through 30. Donations of cash and food can be made at any school. Cash donations can also be made here.