Elementary students stock food bank shelves

Spencer Elementary students are giving back to the community in a big way this Thanksgiving weekend. We caught up with them doing their good deed and found out how they used their creativity to help the needy.

For weeks, Spencer Elementary students collected all cans.

With the help of some local architects, they used the cans to create a tugboat and their masterpiece was on display at the Jepson Center for about a month.

But this week the students dismantled the boat and donated all the canned goods to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Students like Janiah Sam took it one step further helping to stock the shelves.

“They need help and we are helping them with whatever they need,” said Sam.

The director of Second Harvest Food Bank Mary J. Crouch, says without the help like this they would never be able to keep up with the demand.

“The demand is up with all the layoffs and everything going on, in our community there are more people needing food there’s more of a need,”said Crouch.

And when the students came up with the idea to help stock the shelves, she was thrilled.

“They came up with the whole idea and designing something that would help the food bank,” said Crouch. “Doing something for their community that is a hometown hero.”

Obama Family helps out on Thanksgiving

President-elect Barack Obama and his wife took their daughters to work at a food bank on the day before Thanksgiving, saying they wanted to show the girls the meaning of the holiday, especially when so many people are struggling.

Ten-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha joined their parents to shake hands and give holiday wishes to hundreds of people who had been lined up for hours at the food bank on Chicago’s south side.

Sasha wore a pink stocking hat over her pigtails and Malia had on a purple striped hat as the family handed out wrapped chickens to the needy in the chilly outdoor courtyard. Those seeking food on Wednesday at St. Columbanus also received boxes with potatoes, oranges, fresh bread, peanut butter, canned goods, oatmeal, spaghetti and coffee.

The president-elect, dressed casually in a leather jacket, black scarf and khaki pants, was in a jovial mood, calling out “happy thanksgiving” and telling everyone “you can call me Barack.”

He told reporters that he wants the girls “to learn the importance of how fortunate they are, and to make sure they’re giving back.”

The soon-to-be first lady said the Obamas wanted to give their children “an understanding of what giving and Thanksgiving is all about.”

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