CHAPEL HILL—The North Carolina High School Athletic Association is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and NCHSAA member schools can get involved with a special community service event related to the celebration known as “NCHSAA Football Feeding Frenzy.”
The NCHSAA Football Feeding Frenzy is partnering with the North Carolina Association of Feeding America Food Banks, and there will be two ways member schools can help tackle hunger.
One category revolves around the donation of time. Food banks work on a network of volunteers, and one school in each of the NCHSAA’s four classes volunteering the most service hours, based on the percentage of students to volunteer hours, will be recognized during the NCHSAA state football championships and receive a Commissioner’s Cup.
The time donation can be at a local food bank or working on a project to benefit a local food bank, such as creating food bank awareness posters. The local food bank can let interested students know what opportunities are available there, since volunteer slots may be limited.
The other category involves the donation of money. Every dollar donated to a North Carolina food bank can provide nearly five dollars’ worth of food for those who need it. One school in each of the NCHSAA’s classifications raising the most funds, based on the percentage of students to money raised, will also receive a Commissioner’s Cup.
“We believe that this is a great way to celebrate our 100th anniversary and a century of service by encouraging our schools to be in service to their communities,” said NCHSAA commissioner Davis Whitfield. “We would hope every member school would consider partnering with the NCHSAA and our food banks to participate in this worthy project. People all over North Carolina will benefit from this effort.”
The member food banks of the North Carolina Association of Feeding America Food Banks include Food Bank of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina in Raleigh, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in Raleigh, MANNA Food Bank of Western North Carolina in Asheville, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in Charlotte, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina in Winston-Salem, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina in Fayetteville.
“Sadly North Carolina continues to be among the nation’s leaders in the number of unemployed people and citizens experiencing food insecurity,” said Alan Briggs, executive director of the North Carolina Association of Food Banks. “Recent changes in the amounts of public benefits and delays in accessing public assistance have created a surge in demand for food from our North Carolina food banks.
“Our members feel so honored and appreciative that the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has launched the Football Feeding Frenzy at a time of such great need. We thank all the members of the Association for their efforts promoting this event and to all the fans and families who respond to this call to help our less fortunate neighbors.”
For more information on how the school can sign up or to donate to the NCHSAA Football Feeding Frenzy, check the link at the top of the NCHSAA home page.
The competition runs from September 27 through November 8. The Feeding Frenzy packet on the NCHSAA web site has details on how schools may participate.
The theme of the NCHSAA’s 100th anniversary is “Honoring the Past, Embracing the Present and Shaping the Future.”
