Feeding young children can be difficult as many have very particular flavor preferences. For families who rely on food banks, finding items their kids enjoy can add to the challenge.<\/p>\n
Laura Martinson, the owner of Caribou Crossings downtown and the mother of 4-year old Olivia McDonnell, set out to make the task easier for families by organizing a food drive dedicated to collecting kid favorites.<\/p>\n
“Our food drive was a blast,” Martinson said in an email to the Empire early this week.<\/p>\n
Martinson said that customers of the store and students at The Discovery Preschool, along with their families, worked together to gather foods that would please the average kid.<\/p>\n
Using the store as a collection point, donations of raisins, chocolate milk, applesauce, pasta, macaroni and cheese boxes, flavored oatmeal packets and cans of chicken noodle soup all rolled in.<\/p>\n
Martinson said the collective efforts generated 415 pounds of food that she delivered to the Southeast Alaska Food Bank.<\/p>\n
According to Chris Schapp, executive director of Southeast Alaska Food Bank, the donations from Martinson’s efforts–and other local food drives and community efforts–made a difference.<\/p>\n
However, more need remains, he said.<\/p>\n