Nearly 4 million individuals in Texas alone experience food insecurity. Children, working families, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities are among those affected in every Texas county. Families are forced to make impossible choices between food and other basic needs, such as unexpected expenses like a car accident or medical emergency, due to an unsustainable household income.

In honor of February Canned Food month, James Bowie student leadership has taken the initiative to help families struggling with hunger around the Austin area, partnering up with Hungry Souls. “We thought it would be a good idea because they work really closely and in partnership with Austin and AISD schools, so it’s close to home,” student leadership member Bella Steinbrink said. “We have done canned food drives, or helped them at least, in past years and it definitely inspired us to go ahead and connect with Hungry Souls,” student leadership member Tyton Benson said.

“This February monthly impact project was specifically chosen to pick an organization that helps Austin ISD families, since it’s our community,” coach and student leadership coordinator Victoria Benson said. “Hungry Souls, that’s what they do, they provide after school meals, food for families all served throughout Austin ISD, so that was the main reason why we chose them.”

From February 23 to March 3 students donated off items in the designated food bins at the front of the school. Hungry Souls have donated over 365,000 meals to families of students in need in 22 different Austin area schools alone. Bowie student leadership’s help they are undoubtedly going to help hopefully exponentially more families. “The hope was that we can give as much as we can and anything is better than nothing,” Victoria Benson said.