Local kids use trick-or-treating to gather food and other necessities for people in need
At my request, Jasmine Myers shared with me her recent Facebook post regarding her son and his friends’ efforts to help the Gig Harbor community.
“Hi neighbors! My 14-year-old son and his friends are working together this Halloween evening to collect non-perishable foods to donate to our local FISH food bank. They want to help others and be good stewards in our community,” Myers wrote. “They will be pulling a wagon and, while trick-or-treating, also asking for donations. I know this is out of the norm for Halloween trick-or-treaters, but please help them if you can.
“I’m proud of their desire to help others and want to encourage this mindset. I’ve included a screenshot of the food bank’s current needs. They also accept gently used clothing and household items. My son will be dressed as a hotdog. Thank you for taking time to read this. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!”
I had the pleasure of meeting Jasmine Myers, her son, Peninsula High School freshman Jaiden Leach and his classmates Neiko Zanuttini and Donae Rumph at the Gig Harbor FISH Food Bank last week as they unloaded and stacked the proceeds of their Halloween food drive, which they called “We Scare Hunger!” His other PHS freshmen helpers, Jadon Chitta, Aidan Flanders and Ryan Anderson were unable to join us.
“With a little help from me,” said Myers, “Jaiden organized the food drive. The kids spent about an hour planning it and an hour and a half actually collecting the items Halloween night.”
Their wagon was overflowing with canned and boxed foods, diapers, infant formula, paper towels, clothes and baby items. It totaled 107 donations. I got to join them as they worked at the FISH food bank sorting and stacking the items on shelves. I confess to shamelessly coveting a huge package of Almond Roca in their collection!
Myers explained that she and Jaiden do volunteer work through an organization called We.org. She is a group manager of about 15 of Jaiden’s teenage friends. We.org focuses on empowering young people to be change makers, helping others both in their local and global communities.
“Kids discover it’s cool to care,” she said. “We have been a part of We.org for five years. When Jaiden was 11, he got to speak on stage at Key Arena in front of over 15,000 people to talk about his love for the environment and sustainable living as he received an award. Throughout the year, We.org provides us different ideas of ways we can help. We look through them quarterly and decide what we wish to do and organize the events with my son’s friends.”
Jaiden was the one who chose the motto “We Scare Hunger!” for the Halloween food drive.
“Nobody should ever worry about not having enough food or being able to feed their family. I am so fortunate to always have food, warm/clean clothes and everything I could ever need,” he said. “I want to give back and help others who don’t have those things.”
Team member Neiko Zanuttini said, “I like helping others, especially those in need.”
Jaiden has also spent time volunteering for Northwest Harvest, helped make Easter baskets for kids in foster care, made winter care packages for the homeless and hand-delivered them in Seattle, picked up trash in his community, planted vegetation to help with erosion and played games with the elderly at a nursing home.
And, I might add, he is a student at Peninsula High School. I seriously doubt that he needs something to take up his “spare” time.
Myers said kids interested in learning about We.org can go to the We.org website or contact her at jasminemyers@live.com or 206-307-1161.
You’ll feel good if you do!