Lemont's 'Food Fight' Nets More than 65,000 Meals Donated to Nepal

Photos: Seniors Jenna Molaro, Olivia Matthews, Hope Conway helped organize the collection | Students pack the donations.

What started as a modest fundraising effort by three Lemont High School students—juniors Hope Conway, Olivia Matthews and Jenna Molaro—ultimately resulted in hundreds of Lemont students actively engaged in a
humanitarian effort and tens of thousands of meals being shipped to a country across the world devastated by an earthquake. The yearlong “Food Fight” fundraiser spearheaded by Conway, Matthews and Molaro culminated with more than 65,000 meals being sent to Nepal through the non-profit organization Impact Lives.

Lemont High School was one of four schools in the western suburbs to raise funds to put on a “Food Fight” in 2015, and all four—Lemont, Naperville Central, Naperville North and Yorkville—held their events in mid-May. Lemont students were able to raise the most money over the last year, and with more than 65,000 meals completed, packed more than double the meals of any other school. The four schools combined to pack more than 150,000 meals in all.

Conway, Matthews and Molaro led a variety of fundraising efforts beginning in May 2014, and raised more than $8,000. All money raised was given to Impact Lives, which in turn purchased the specially formulated meal ingredients.

The trio not only raised the money to fund the event, but also organized the drop-off and unloading of the ingredients, the two-day packing schedule, and the pick-up procedures.

Conway, Matthews and Molaro observed Naperville North’s “Food Fight” effort in 2014 and were inspired to bring that sense of camaraderie and service to Lemont. When they began their fundraising efforts, they did not know where their meals ultimately would be sent; Impact Lives determines which Third World countries are most in need of support.

On April 25—less than a month before Lemont’s “Food Fight” event—an earthquake that registered 8.1 ravaged Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and injuring more than 23,000. It triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, and made hundreds of thousands of people homeless as entire villages were flattened.

Once Lemont students learned the beneficiaries of their efforts, they went to work. Over a two-day period, more than 800 students—more than half of the school’s population—helped pack meals during Physical Education classes and lunch periods. For more than six hours each day, eight stations were humming with activity, with 10-12 students working at each station. These assembly lines of students were charged with filling bags with rice, dehydrated vegetables, soy and chicken. Each plastic bag was then weighed, sealed and boxed. The final tally for Lemont’s two-day effort: 65,072 meals.

The atmosphere in Lemont’s Gymnasium over the two days was one of giving and school spirit, and plans already are underway to tackle another “Food Fight” event next spring.

Conway, Matthews and Molaro extended their sincere appreciation to the many sponsors who contributed this year, including: Aurora Rose Boutique, Brad Grcevic/Edward Jones of Lemont, Community Christian Church, First Advantage Mortgage and Country Financial, Front Street Cantina, Lemont High School Junior Achievement, Mosquito Squad, Patti Group, and RTS, Inc.