Cascade High School's annual food drive picked up a $2,500 boost from the Safeway on Evergreen on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
The donation came during the grocery store's grand reopening, according to the Everett School District. The money will help purchase fresh food and essential household supplies for families served through the drive, which the district calls its 65th annual edition.
"The donation towards our food drive was such a nice surprise and helps ensure we can continue to serve as many families in our community as we do," ASB Adviser and Activities Coordinator Kelly Rogers said, according to the district.
Rogers' connection to the drive runs deep. She first got involved as a Cascade High freshman in 1997, collecting donations and delivering food baskets to families.
Before formal grocery store partnerships existed, Rogers and her friends walked through Silver Lake neighborhoods with Radio Flyer wagons, going door to door. She is in her 13th year overseeing the effort as a teacher, the district said.
The drive goes beyond canned goods. It provides fresh items like bread, eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables, along with household essentials such as toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies. Each year, the goal is to collect at least 30,000 food items and $15,000 to support local families, food banks and school pantries.
CHS senior Finley Mikesell, a student food drive chair who helps coordinate partnerships with local stores, said the Safeway donation energized the effort. "It gets me excited for the future of our food drive," Mikesell said, according to the district. "The accessibility that this money provides is indescribable."
Safeway's role extends beyond the check. The store also helps coordinate bulk food purchases and deliveries and provides shopping carts for the students' annual shopping day, the district said.
The food drive kicks off Nov. 30.
The drive accepts donations of any size.
