Preston High School’s HOSA to host annual food drive

KINGWOOD — Preston High School’s Health and Occupation Students of America (HOSA) will conduct its annual food drive Friday through Nov. 15.
Since 2009 Preston High’s allied health sciences instructor Stephanie Martin and her students have coordinated a school-wide drive to collect food donations and raise awareness about hunger.
“We do it to show a sense of community,” Martin said. “It shows that an effort by a few can make a big impact.”
Tammy Laney, director of Food For Preston, said the PHS food drive helps stock the shelves of all 11 Food for Preston food pantries.
“I love to see our Preston County teens run this food drive and set the example of how to help others,” Laney said.
“We’re going to do our drive a little different this year,” Martin said. “We are going to make it into a competition.”
She said a different goal will be given to each group. “One group might collect vegetables and another group fruit,” Martin said. An award will be given to the group that collects the most.
Last year students collected 1,300 cans of food.
Laney said Food for Preston food pantries serve 1,650 people each month or 19,800 points of service each year, putting food in the hands of people in need.
“Food for Preston accepts both food and monetary donations year-round to keep local food pantry doors open, serving families and fighting hunger,” Laney said.
For more information about Food for Preston, go to www.foodforpreston.org or call 304-379-3519 or email coordinator@foodforpreston.org.
Monetary donations can be sent to Food for Preston, P.O. Box 1175, Kingwood, WV 26537.