East Union High Kiwin members made a big contribution to struggling families on Thursday.
The youth service organization helped make possible for some 280 grocery bags from the local Raley’s via Food for Families program to be distributed in Manteca.
According to Kiwin president Francesca Ball, her East Union chapter raised $1,400 during five home football games by selling Boba drinks.
For every $10 from the EU fundraiser under Food for Families, Raley’s more than tripled that donation to the local food bank, in turn, providing a bag of grocery containing 26 nutritious meals to families in area who are struggling during the holidays.
“We were incredibly excited to hear that,” said Ball, who was with the group that included club members, school Principal Raul Mora, Kiwin advisor Khalil Abou-Hamad, and Raley’s Team Leader Lucas Andrews, to name a few.
“Every bag had $30 worth of food,” said Abou-Hamad, who broke down the math.
The $1,400 raised by his Kiwins was matched by Raley’s under the Food for Families program, times three, totaling $8,400.
This made possible 280 grocery bags to help feed the needy.
“Last year, we raised half of that ($1,400) for Food for Families,” Abou-Hamad said.
He was proud of the recent effort by members of his Kiwins
“They really crushed it,” Abou-Hamad added.
Kiwins is part of Kiwanis Club International or a sibling of sort to Key Club – KIWIN’s is much smaller than Key Club at all levels of the organization and only exists in California, Nevada and Hawaii, according to Abou-Hamad.
For more information of Raley’s program, log on to www.foodforfamilies.org