On Monday, Hamburg High School held the 9th annual MLK Day Hamburg Food Drive, made possible thanks to FeedMore WNY, the Service Collaborative, and other partners.
A limited number of volunteers came together to collect non-perishable food from Hamburg driveways and people dropped off goods to a contactless drive-thru at the high school.
"I think there’s a lot of community spirit with how the Bills are doing right now, so I actually think that’s contributing. I see people pull up in Bills gear and I’ll say, 'thank you for the donation,' and as I’m walking away, they’ll say, 'Go Bills.' I think that’s actually really helping with our drive this year," said Hamburg Student Government President Tyler Herman. "I think people are feeling connected as a community in a way that we haven’t in the past ten or so months."
According to the organizations running the drive, food needs have increased during the pandemic. Because of this, the number of people who are food insecure in 2021 could reach more than 50 million. Western New Yorkers are working to help.
"It’s awesome because everyone thinks of it as a day off, but we think of it as a day on. We look forward to it every year…coming out here no matter the conditions," said Hamburg Student Government Vice President Nevada Pohlman. "It seems to be snowing and super cold every single year."
Regardless of the temperature, these volunteers want to serve.
"Martin Luther King Jr. was someone who preached give to others. He recognized the need to help your neighbor and to do what is right for humanity," says Service Collaborative Executive Director Kate Sarata.