An Airdrie School has stepped up to help some less fortunate neighbours.

Airdrie Koinonia Christian School is donating 5,000 meals to Hope Mission, an organization based in Calgary.

Hope Mission has been providing food for Albertans in need for the past 90 years.

The Calgary branch is located in the Forest Lawn area and Reverend Kelly Row says the donation from Airdrie Koinonia Christian School will help feed families in the neighbourhood for one month.

"We'll use it in lunch programs at the schools, we'll feed kids after school at the hubs, some of the community dinners. It will take a great weight off of us," Row says.

The donation is part of the school's Feed the Need fundraiser which is currently ongoing.

Donor, Partner, and International Relationships Manager for the school, Shellie Wilson, says the effort raises funds for Airdrie Koinonia Christian School and that a portion of the proceeds will go towards feeding Albertans in need.

She says one of the parents at the school suggested helping Hope Mission.

"It is so very close to where we are. It really hit our hearts and we do bus in quite a few students from Calgary, so we wanted to be able to help them out," Wilson says.

On Friday, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School will pack 10,000 food boxes that will be distributed across the province.

Wilson says it teaches students the importance of giving back, which really hit home for one Grade 7 student recently.

"She hadn't eaten much during the day and started to get a little light-headed, and went to her cupboard and opened it to get some food out, and had this moment where she recognized the ability she has to go get food when she's hungry. It affected her so much, the next day she came in and she donated $2,000 of her own money that she's been saving for a car, to help feed these kids," says Wilson.

Airdrie Koinonia Christian School's Feed the Need fundraiser has a goal of $100,000.

Close to half that has been raised so far.

 

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