Beer Middle School students make it their mission to help fight hunger

(WXYZ) - Students at Beer Middle School in Warren are working with a humanitarian food aid organization called "Kids Against Hunger."

"I really want to make a big difference and this gives us a chance to," says student Taylor Stempnik.

Annette Lauria is the principal at Beer Middle School. She says the school has been heavily involved in the fight against bullying. She says fighting world hunger is another lesson in compassion.

"We’re hoping kids will learn compassion. They’re actually being put to work," says Lauria.

The students work in groups and each student has a task. All of them work one 15 minute shift. They fill bags with soy, rice, seasoning and dehydrated vegetables. Each bag is checked for the precise weight and then they are sealed and boxed.

When Action News visited the students they were packaging 20,000 bags for rice-soy casserole. Once hot water is added it becomes a nutritious meal for those in need. Each bag feeds six adults or 12 kids.

Student Keelyn Fogerty says she never really thought about world hunger until she participated in this effort.

"We always think that everyone has food, but not everyone does," says Fogerty.

The meals will be distributed to a 3rd world country, a disaster area and a local pantry.

The students say after participating in the "Kids Against Hunger" program they have a hunger to do more.

Next semester, the school is planning on taking trips to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and Gleaners Food Bank.