On Nov. 18, the Merry Meals student-run food drive opened for donations, which can be made online or in bins around campus, and will be accepted until Dec. 19. The drive includes a friendly competition with Tamalpais High School (Tam), with the winning school earning a chance to pie their principal in the face. 

Sophomore Nico Less is the co-chair of the Leadership Community Committee. This committee worked alongside sophomore Scarlett Zola-Kahn to create the food drive and establish a collaboration with Tam. Both Less and Zola-Kahn have continued outreach and are eager to expand the food drive to other Marin schools.

“We’ve been trying to figure out what motivates high schoolers [to donate for a good cause]. Competitions are definitely at the forefront,” Less said. “Whoever raises the most in the same time frame wins.”

Both schools have the goal of raising $5,000, which is equivalent to about three dollars per student at Redwood.

“One dollar is the equivalent to two meals at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, so $5,000 is 10,000 meals,” Less said. 

Emails have been sent out to families with information about how to donate, in addition to posters hung up throughout the school with QR codes, directing students to the fundraising page.

“[Collecting money] is what really matters. The food bank needs food, but they can also buy canned food with the money that we give them,” Zola-Kahn said.

Zola-Kahn initially had the idea to create the food drive as a result of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits being jeopardized during the government shutdown. 

“I was struck by the realization that 15,000 Marin residents are not going to get these benefits anymore,” Zola-Kahn said. “I thought that our school could help out and support them because they’re going through a really rough transition. ”

Food drives have also been conducted in prior years, and even though SNAP benefits are returning, food is always needed in the Marin County community. 

“[Just because SNAP benefits are] back doesn’t mean that there aren’t still families and communities in Marin that need food, and we’re very excited to help the [SF] Marin Food Bank,” Less said.