MONTEBELLO – Joining forces with its community partners, the Montebello Unified School District kicked off the seventh annual “War on Hunger” food drive on Oct. 13 to assist local families in need at Bell Gardens Intermediate School.

“While 50,000 pounds is a substantial amount of food that will go a long way, this is a small thing that we can do to help the needy families in the areas we serve,” said Montebello Unified Board of Education President Edgar Cisneros. “It’s important for us at Montebello Unified to give back to the community, and illustrate a lot about the character of our students, faculty, staff and our community partners.”

Since its inception in 2009, the Montebello Unified School District’s “War on Hunger” food drive has raised approximately 50,000 pounds of food to help several thousands of students and families. The bar has been set high and MUSD students, teachers, staff, community members and sponsors are carrying on their tradition of working together to support the project’s goal of at least another 50,000 pounds.

With Bell Gardens Intermediate Principal Ricardo Mendez serving as master of ceremonies, MUSD’s month of giving kick-off event featured speakers from the District and its partners from Heart of Compassion, Camino Federal Credit Union, the Montebello Council Parent Teacher Association and the city of Bell Gardens. The event also included a BGI student dance performance and MUSD students showing their support of the project.

“Making connections between learning and community issues is what we stress in the District, and our annual ‘War on Hunger’ food drive is an example,” Superintendent of Schools Susanna Contreras Smith said. “We are proud of the work that our students have put in to make this food drive a huge success, and we will continue to encourage them to work together to address local and global problems such as hunger by proposing viable solutions.”

As part of its partnership with the District for this effort, Camino Federal Credit Union is also asking its employees and members to pitch in by contributing to the “War on Hunger” campaign. Those interested can either make a pledge at a teller window or drop canned goods off at the Camino main branch, 520 N. Taylor Ave. in Montebello, through Oct. 30.

Students and staff will be able to donate non-perishable food items or funds to help local hungry families at all MUSD school sites as well. The community may also donate at Bell Gardens City Hall (7100 Garfield Ave., Bell Gardens) and the MUSD District Office (123 S. Montebello Blvd., Montebello).

Families may be able to pick up food items at the Heart of Compassion Distribution Center (600 S. Maple Ave., Montebello) or may contact District homeless liaison Rose Hernandez at (323) 887-2133.

Photo Captions:

War On Hunger1: Montebello Unified students and District and school administrators joined forces with its community partners, pictured here, to kick off the seventh annual “War on Hunger” food drive on Oct. 13 to assist local families in need at Bell Gardens Intermediate School.

War On Hunger 2: Joining forces with its community partners, the Montebello Unified School District kicked off the seventh annual “War on Hunger” food drive on Oct. 13 to assist local families in need at Bell Gardens Intermediate School; pictured here, Board Member David Vela with BGI students.