FISH food drive strives for goal of 50,000 cans

The annual food drive for Friends In Service Helping will culminate Thursday with a "grand in-gathering," said Jeff Fast, interim manager of FISH.

Students from elementary and middle schools throughout the district have been collecting canned foods since Oct. 19, and Thursday, FISH trucks will visit each school to collect the donations.

"The Trick or Treat for FISH food drive has been going on for 10 years," Fast said. "The kids spend a couple of weeks gathering food to help the needy in our four-county service area."

The goal set for this year's drive was 50,000 cans, and Fast said he hopes that goal can be reached because he anticipates serving more people this year than in the past.

"Our month-to-month numbers are up 10 to 25 percent from the same month a year ago," he said.

"Last year we touched the lives of 7,000 people, which included 3,000 children. We expect that to hit nearly 8,000 this year," he said.

Fast called the Trick or Treat for FISH food drive the mainstay of the organization's holiday efforts.

"We'll provide 700-800 family feasts over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, which will rival the one at Plymouth Rock," he said.

The food collected during this drive also will last the organization through the winter until the postal workers' food drive in May, Fast said.

"We call out all the troops for this drive," he said. "We'll have 30 to 40 volunteers and many of them take the weekend off to help us because they really look forward to helping."

Trucks will go to the schools where bags will be picked up either in classrooms, in gyms or out front on the sidewalks.

"I know at Carson Valley Middle School and Eagle Valley Middle School, the kids are champions at getting food out," he said.

To add to a competitive spirit, FISH provides an ice cream party to the class in the district that collects the most food.

Mark Twain Elementary School Librarian Chris Mauldin said students learn about how the food will be used to help people less fortunate.

"We talk about how the process continues after us, and they know there are going to be food baskets, but they also know that if they can't bring anything in, that's OK, too," Mauldin said.

Carson High School also does its part in December with its annual scavenger hunt, Fast said.

After the collection, the food will be sorted, stored and distributed in Carson City at the Food Bank on Long Street.

Anyone who doesn't have children, but would like to be part of the food drive, can contact the parents of a neighborhood youngster to pick up items.

Donations also can be dropped off at 138 E. Long St. For more information, call 882-3474.

FISH serves Carson City and Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties with food, shelter and many other services for the homeless.