The foreign language department sponsored a food drive from Feb. 1 to Feb. 15. The food gathered was donated to Harvesters.

Food drives are often held during the holiday season, which means that the amount of food donated during other parts of the year is much lower.

There’s still a demand, however, and the foreign language department decided to meet it.

“People are very food depleted and so we thought it would be a good idea for Modern Language – the most stable department – to take over,” French teacher Conrad Lower said.

“While many people think of the hungry during the holidays, individuals and families are in need in our community every day,” the Harvesters website explained.

Harvesters is a food bank. People don’t come directly to them for food. Instead, they distribute food to other organizations like soup kitchens, shelters, and community kitchens.

In Kansas City, according to the website, at least 66,000 people can’t get the food they need without programs like Harvesters. 37 percent of those helped by these programs are children.

At Northtown, 50.6 percent of students are on free and reduced lunch. The person sitting next to you might go home to empty cupboards, with only a school lunch to eat every day.

The struggling economy isn’t helping. Last year, the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch rose from 18 to 21 million. Local Kansas City school district Hickman Mills C-1 hit 80 percent that same year.

Food donated in drives like the one Northtown held can help students and families hit with hard times.

For this reason or for many others, many students support food drives.

“There are so many people who can’t get a proper meal,” said senior Devon Smith. “Food drives help them care for their families.”

Fliers advertising the food drive were posted around campus, and some teachers gave their students extra credit if they brought in food.

Still, to the disappointment of the foreign language teachers, the drive only collected 200 cans.

It’s unclear when the next food drive will be held, but as long as there is hunger in the world, Northtown will gather food to fight it.

“I would hope that in a world where many are starving, that we at Northtown have big hearts and give to those in need,” said Spanish teacher Monika Beck.