Weaverville – North Buncombe high school’s student council is hosting a food drive for families in need this holiday season. The Give Together food drive aims to support the greater North Buncombe community.
“It’s a united front that we’re here for our families in our community, even in this crazy time right now. We’re going to try to support North Buncombe families the best we can,” says Jamie Stowe, student council and math teacher at North Buncombe High.
Food donations can be made at North Buncombe High, North Buncombe Middle, North Windy Ridge Intermediate, North Buncombe Elementary and Barnardsville Elementary. With the pandemic, only students attending the schools may drop food off in these locations.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, drop offs are restricted to parents and students of the schools. Both parents and students may drop food off in the car rider line or students may drop off inside their school.
Alternate donation locations for the general public are at Brookstone Church, Flat Creek Baptist Church, Lift Nutrition and Weaverville United Methodist Church.
“We’re gonna make boxes here at North Buncombe High school to go home with some of our families that we know for sure are in need. Then the rest is going to go to the Barnardsville Food Pantry (at the Big Ivy Community Center) and the Flat Creek Baptist Food Pantry,” says Stowe.
North Buncombe High’s student council has held three food drives in the past, but this is the joint effort with five other schools in the district. Stowe says that the student council students suggested the school partnership and are truly spearheading this campaign.
“In years past, we’ve always had a food drop, but it’s not been super successful in the past because I think a lot of our families are in need. When we started talking about this year one student said, ‘let’s talk to Ingles and see if they’re willing to donate,’” Stowe says.
Ingles Markets has already donated 800 pieces of food and they anticipate to donate more. Donations can be made from December 7 to 11.