Christmas Cheer Food Drive collects 161,933 pounds of food

(FBCL) - The results of the 2021 KALB-TV Christmas Cheer Food Drive are complete, and 161,933 pounds of non-perishable food items were collected from Avoyelles, Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, and Vernon parish schools, according to Jayne Wright-Velez, executive director of the Food Bank of Central Louisiana.

Sponsored by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and KALB-TV, 61 local schools participated in the drive to help collect food for the Food Bank of Central Louisiana.

The total amount collected in Avoyelles parish was 41,325 pounds, 15,861 pounds in Grant parish, 8,739 pounds in Natchitoches parish, 65,611 pounds in Rapides parish, and 30,397 pounds in Vernon parish.

The following schools led their parish in donations:

• Avoyelles – Lafargue Elementary (6,828 pounds) and Bunkie High School (13,458 pounds)
• Grant – South Grant Elementary School (5,089 pounds), Grant Junior High (1,022 pounds),  and Georgetown High School (2,936 pounds)
• Natchitoches – Provencal Elementary School (1,753 pounds), Natchitoches Magnet School (2,352 pounds), and Natchitoches Central High School (1,224 pounds).
• Rapides – Phoenix Magnet Elementary School (12,289 pounds), Pineville Junior High (6,109 pounds), and Pineville High School (5,593 pounds).  Phoenix Magnet Elementary School also took home the top prize for donating the most pounds per student (32.42 pounds per student).
• Vernon – Rosepine Elementary School (6,595 pounds), Vernon Middle School (1,665 pounds), and Rosepine High School (6,334 pounds).

Eight thousand dollars in prize money from the Tunica Biloxi Indians will be distributed to these schools for their outstanding efforts to help the Food Bank of Central Louisiana.

For more information about the 2021 Christmas Cheer Food Drive, please contact the Food Bank of Central Louisiana at 318-445-2773.

Christmas Cheer Food Drive 2021: Weigh-in week

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - It’s officially weigh-in week for the Food Bank of Central Louisiana’s annual Christmas Cheer Food Drive!

Every year, the food bank and our local schools work together to collect food that goes directly to people in need in those communities.

During the month of November, students were asked to bring non-perishable items and canned goods to their school. This week, the food bank is going to Grant, Vernon, Natchitoches, Avoyelles and Rapides parishes to weigh in the collected food.

December 10 - Rapides Parish:

Friday was the last and final day of weigh in week for the Food Bank of Central Louisiana’s annual Christmas Cheer Food Drive!

Food was collected and weighed at the food bank’s headquarters on Baldwin Avenue in Alexandria.

Thirty elementary, middle and high schools in Rapides Parish participated in this year’s food drive. We’ll have a final total of the food collected in the parish later Friday once food bank CEO Jayne Wright Velez gives us that final amount.

So far, turnout has been huge this year from students across Cenla! Already, the food bank has almost exceeded last year’s total amount of food collected, before tallying the final results in Rapides Parish. On Thursday, over 41,000 pounds of food were collected in Avoyelles Parish alone.

Last year, almost 100,000 pounds of food were collected for the drive.

Later in January, the top elementary school, middle school and high school in each parish will receive cash money from the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe that they can use however they choose.

KALB will be tagging along with the food bank for those check presentations. Check back here to find out when those donations will be handed out to the top schools.

Congratulations to all of the students and everyone who participated in this year’s food drive!

December 9 - Avoyelles Parish:

Thursday marked day four of the Food Bank of Central Louisiana’s annual Christmas Cheer Food Drive.

Food was weighed from nine different elementary, middle and high schools in Avoyelles Parish. In total, a whopping 41,325 pounds of food were collected.

Overall for this year’s drive, turnout from Cenla students, teachers and staff has been incredible. Keep in mind, all of the food collected in each parish will stay within that parish, helping families in need right before Christmas.

On Friday, the food bank will wrap up the drive-in Rapides Parish, where 22 different schools are participating.

December 8 - Natchitoches Parish:

On Wednesday, the food bank weighed food from seven different schools in Natchitoches Parish. In total, 8,092 pounds of food were collected.

Thursday, the food bank and KALB will be in Avoyelles Parish, tallying up donations. The food drive will wrap up on Friday, in Rapides Parish, at the food bank’s headquarters on Baldwin Avenue.

December 7 - Vernon Parish:

On Tuesday, the food bank weighed food in Vernon Parish from a total of thirteen different schools. In total, 33,022 pounds were collected. That’s 10,000 more pounds than last year!

Later in January, the top elementary school, junior high and high school in each parish will receive cash money from the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe that they can use however they choose.

December 6 - Grant Parish:

On Monday, the food bank weighed food from seven Grant Parish schools. In total, 15,861 pounds of food were collected.

Last year, almost 100,000 pounds of food were collected and distributed to families in need.

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