TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOL DECA packs 20,000 meals for needy

(Story via Dave Herndon, The News-Herald Newspapers)

Students from Truman High School’s DECA program worked together to pack 20,000 meals in conjunction with the Kid’s Against Hunger group on  Saturday.

DECA students lead the charge, but any student from Truman was allowed to participate.

The group gave 20,000 meals to the high school for their food pantry, 20,000 more to Taylor Fish and Loaves and another 20,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief.

“It’s usually a Rotary Club thing,” DECA advisor Carly Lundgren-Barnard said. “Our Rotary doesn’t do it so the school decided to take charge.”

She said the event, which was Sept. 23 at St. John’s Church in Taylor, is good for marketing and business students as well.

“They learn teamwork, production and packaging,” Lundgren-Barnard said.

The meals just need to have water added before being cooked. It included nine essential nutrients that are needed for a meal.

“This is just a small part of a big project we’re doing,” she said.

Her students started a food pantry last year for the homeless students in the building. This year they are expanding the pantry to include clothes.

“It’s been a huge success so far,” Lundgren-Barnard said.

The pantry takes food donations, or cash that is then used to buy the most popular items taken from the pantry.

The pantry is run anonymously through the school social worker, even the DECA students who run the program don’t know who the students who use the pantry are.

DECA is a business and marketing organization where students compete against others from across the world.