Dressed in their Halloween costumes and armed with infectious enthusiasm, Spice Girls and dragons alike flooded into St. Andrew’s church, excited to kick off another year of fundraising.
Each year, Community High School students show up for the yearly Food Gatherer’s Fundraiser, and it’s more than just a tradition. Food Gatherers, an organization whose mission is to fight hunger in Washtenaw County, has worked with Community for almost 15 years. Where other schools have football rivalries, CHS fosters a fundraising competition between the forums where they compete to raise the most money in the most creative ways. The prize? A party for the winning forum, complete with treats from Zingerman’s Bakehouse. But students don’t do it for the reward.
“I think it’s really important because it truly has an impact on our own community,” said CHS senior Kaylie Peters. “We really help make a contribution to the people who need it, especially as holiday seasons come around and money can get tight. Just seeing that impact is really big, because you’re like, ‘Whoa, I’m actually making a difference.’”
Peters sees the annual Food Gatherers fundraiser as a great opportunity for forums to come together to work on a common goal. Setting up fundraising checkpoints helps keep students motivated to keep raising money and gives forums a chance to bring their individual talents into their ideas.
“Here at Community High School, you can just be silly and be goofy and be whoever you want to be,” Peters said. “And it shows that it’s okay to step out of your comfort zone. This is a place you can step out of your comfort zone.”
In the Halloween assembly, energy levels stayed high as representatives from Food Gatherers explained the history of the fundraiser and shared statistics of what CHS has helped them accomplish over the years. Charlotte Csicsila and Scott Spielman broke down how donations for Community’s fundraising impact the 60,000 people they serve annually in the area, which is approximately 120 times the student population of CHS. Even with surging demand, Food Gatherers was able to provide about one million meals over the past year.
“I feel like it’s a really cool way to give back to the community, and also be involved andaware of the issues that actually face our communities too,” said CHS forum leader and social studies teacher Chloe Root. “Plus, it brings forums together, which is always fun.”
Food Gatherers’ approach combines food rescue, food drives, and government assistance programs. Last year, 30% of the food they distributed came from a government source, 50% from donations and food rescue and another 20% was purchased by Food Gatherers to supplement donations. This helps them provide a diverse selection of food, aiming for at least 60% fresh produce and high-quality protein.
“I feel like giving this extra hand—an extra boost of joy and happiness to people—really makes our community brighter,” said senior Kaylie Peters. “That’s why we’re called Community High School. We really try to make people’s lives better, and bring them that joy.”
This fundraiser will continue until CHS goes on Thanksgiving break on Nov. 26, so let’s come together as a community to support those in need. Every donation counts—visit link to donate and help make this season brighter for families in Washtenaw County.
