Updated: Nov. 20, 2020

Students had the option to deposit food donations at the main office and Great Lawn at Oak Park High School from from Saturday, Nov. 14 to Sunday, Nov. 15, an event hosted by Associated Student Body, just days after another food drive hosted by the National Honors Society on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. “Zero Hunger” remains as Goal 2 of the 17 Goals of the United Nations.

As for ASB’s food drive, four boxes were set up, each labeled with a grade. Grade levels, in turn, received spirit points for cans collected as well as a chance at winning a raffle. The current leaders of spirit points are the juniors, with 393 points as of Nov. 17.

According to an email sent out by the NHS, recommended donations for food drives are canned fruits and vegetables, jelly and jam, peanut butter, canned pasta, canned stew, canned chili, canned tuna and meat, boxed rice and pasta, canned soups and cereals, Mac n’ Cheese and Hamburger Helpers.

Previously, the NHS would do themed events, such as gift wrapping presents at the Oaks Mall during Christmas, but they can no longer do this due to COVID-19. However, the result of the food drive was hugely successful, with over 500 pounds of food being donated.

“By not wasting large portions of food, or producing so much that we are not able to consume it all, we are just adding to the problem of food insecurity,” junior and NHS secretary Anusha Rao wrote to the Talon. “I also think that urban areas like LA suffer with the issue of food desserts, and having a greater access to cheap supermarkets can help aid ‘Zero Hunger’ and lead to healthier eating habits.”

The donated items from both food drives will be sent to Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank, who have worked alongside OPHS club Cans4Food in the past. This company “exists almost entirely on private donations of food and funding,” according to their website, and serves, on average, more than 1,400 people monthly.

“Those in need — many of whom are children, seniors and the working poor — rely on Manna for their next meal,” Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank says on their website. “Whether you are an individual, company or community group, your donations have a direct impact on the lives of our friends and neighbors in need.”

Philanthropist and longtime hunger relief advocate Joel Jacob was exposed to wasted food as a 16-year-old teenager bussing tables at ceremonial events. Since then, he has become the International Chair of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and helped get Walmart to donate 2 billion dollars toward hunger relief.  

“You can do a food drive, but that’s only going to take care of [people] today, which you have to do … [but] the most important thing you can do is become an advocate [or a] spokesperson for a solution,” Jacob said. “The people who can affect this the most [are] not a hundred thousand of us making meals for Thanksgiving. It is high school [students] … saying ‘we can do better, and here’s how.’”

Jacob described the elimination of world hunger as bipartisan, as no one is “for hunger.” The root of this political objectivity is high school students, Jacob suggests. Students have no agenda to, for instance, sell packaging by increasing the amount of food sold. 

“Why isn’t everybody working on it 24/7 if it’s so basic; if there’s enough food, it says this is what we’re supposed to do and most people in this country are people of faith, why not? The answer I got from the Pope himself … is because we’re distracted,” Jacob said. “It’s what we call ‘motherhood and apple pie:’ you’re doing it because you’re an American and you want to see a better future”

Nov. 17, 2020

Students have the option to deposit food donations at the main office at Oak Park High School from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m from Saturday, Nov. 14 to Sunday, Nov. 15, an event hosted by the National Honors Society Associated Student Body, just days after another food drive hosted by the National Honors Society.

Four boxes will be set up, each labeled with a grade. Grades will receive spirit points for cans collected as well as a chance at winning a raffle.

According to an email sent out by the NHS, recommended donations are canned fruits and vegetables, jelly and jam, peanut butter, canned pasta, canned stew, canned chili, canned tuna and meat, boxed rice and pasta, canned soups and cereals, Mac n’ Cheese and Hamburger Helpers.

The donated items will be sent to Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank, who have worked alongside OPHS club Cans4Food in the past.

“Those in need—many of whom are children, seniors and the working poor—rely on Manna for their next meal,” Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank says on their website. “Whether you are an individual, company or community group, your donations have a direct impact on the lives of our friends and neighbors in need.”