Seward Elementary students collect nearly 2,000 food items for local pantry

November 27, 2025, Seward Folly

Seward Elementary School students rallied together for a record-breaking food drive last week, collecting a whopping 1,876 food items to support their local community. The donated items, gathered in a spirited school-wide competition, were delivered Monday afternoon to Seward’s He Will Provide Food Pantry.

Seward Elementary students sitting next to almost 2000 donated food items

The food drive energized the school as students enthusiastically brought in donations and tracked progress through daily updates. “As I walked down the hallways every morning last week during the week of food drive, the students were so excited to count all of the food that came into their classroom.  Many students begged and wanted to stay all day to help out, it was so fun to see how excited they were about the whole process and how proud they were to donate food to our community,” said organizer Jenn Haugh, who coordinated the event. In a fun, hands-on experience, students sorted, organized, and boxed donations during their P.E. classes before sending everything off to the pantry at the end of the day.

Kindergarten students help organize donated food items during P.E.

Classes competed for an extra recess, and the friendly rivalry was fierce. The North Wing’s top spot went to Ms. Lunardi’s 1st grade, who contributed an impressive 310 items. Mrs. Russell’s 4th- & 5th-graders led the South Wing with 269 items, with Ms. Tara’s 5th grade just behind at 263.

Ms. Lunardi’s class claimed the top spot with 310 items. Mrs. Russell’s 4th- and 5th-graders came in second with 269 items, followed closely by Ms. Tara’s class at 263 items.

Seward Elementary is proud of its students’ generosity and the spirit of giving that made this food drive such a resounding success.