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N.C. volunteers distribute free food in Boro
Food Bank for Top Media
Diana Ivosic, right, and Casey Laing separate food to be given to needy families Wednesday afternoon. The two high school students are from Raleigh, N.C. in Statesboro on their spring break. - photo by Luke Martin/staff

Food Pantry

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Aly Russell wanted to use her spring break to do something for those less fortunate than her.
    So the Raleigh, N.C., high school sophomore and several others with the Leadership Club of the YMCA have spent the past few days in Savannah preparing more than 19,000 pounds of food to be distributed to needy families, which they gave away Wednesday afternoon in Statesboro.
    "I really couldn't think of anything I'd want to do with my spring break than to try to help someone, especially when I have so much and they have so little," Russell said.
    The students were working with Second Harvest, a food bank based in Savannah that distributes food to those in need. Wednesday's distribution was part of their "mobile food bank" which travels to 21 counties throughout the year and gives food to the hungry.
    Mary Jane Crouch, director of Second Harvest, said there were two goals for Wednesday's give away. First, obviously, was to get the food into the hands of those who needed it. But second, Crouch said, was to raise awareness of hunger issues in the hopes that local churches or civic clubs might be interested in sponsoring a food drive.
    Crouch said she was expecting approximately 500 people to be helped on Wednesday. Among the items given away were pasta, oranges, canned fruits and vegetables, honeydew melons, grapes, bread and more. She said a similar distribution last week drew 500 people in Bacon County.
    Russell said it was nice to see the faces of those they were helping, especially after spending the past two days in a warehouse in Savannah sorting the food for Wednesday.
    Meredith Jones, also part of the Raleigh group, said part of what they're trying to do is be a servant leader by putting others ahead of themselves.
    "Knowing my hard work has helped others has encouraged me to want to go back to Raleigh and help with the food bank there," she said.
    For more information on Second Harvest or to volunteer, contact Crouch at (912) 236-6750, ext. 11.
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