McKINNEY, Texas – Valley Creek Elementary students collected enough food items in a week to feed over 700 families for seven months through their new community outreach effort, Cougars CARE.

Over 2,700 items were collected and delivered to the Community Food Pantry of McKinney where volunteer Carol Bodwell expressed the achievement of the Cougars CARE effort.

“In my 30 years of working and volunteering at this pantry, I have never seen one organization collect so much food in such a short period of time,” said Bodwell of Valley Creek’s huge donation.

In the seven days that donated items were collected, participating Valley Creek students, parents, and families set a Community Food Pantry of McKinney record for the most items collected in the shortest amount of time.

“This says so much about the energy and desire these little guys have toward helping someone else,” said Sara Abbott, Cougars CARE organizer and supporter. “To have debuted our first-ever Cougars CARE community outreach effort with this shaky economy did nothing to slow down or deter the efforts of the Valley Creek Cougars.”

Students and families were asked to donate items the local food pantry considers necessary for families or individuals in crisis, including powdered milk, oatmeal, and peanut butter. Non-specific food items were accepted as well.

The effort was created to engage students, teachers, and the entire Valley Creek community in a project to learn to see others needs and to allow them the opportunity to give back. Cougars CARE coincided with an “Around the World” themed field day.

“Cougars CARE helps our students understand the needs concerning hunger in the world and in McKinney,” said Valley Creek Elementary Principal Linda Garvey. “It provides them an opportunity to help and be a part of something special.”

The Cougars CARE effort will continue to help others in need throughout the remainder of the school year and into the future.

“It’s a hands-on opportunity to reach an entire elementary school with the empowering message: Do what you can, when you can, because YOU can!"

For additional information about Cougars CARE, contact Sara Abbott at saraabbott75070@tx.rr.com.

For additional information on McKinney ISD, contact Justin Acker, MISD Communications Specialist, at 469-742-4095 or jacker@mckinneyisd.net.