The Give 3k Food Pantry and 
Turkey Give Away held at Roberto Clemente Community Academy on November 17th was a success. As a student, my experience organizing this food drive was unbelievable. I was able to take a small idea and turn it into a charity event for the community of Roberto Clemente Community Academy. I started Give 3k as an assignment for P.E last year. Since then it has grown and will hopefully keep growing even after I graduate. With the help of my mother and Dr. Sorensen, I was able to plan the e
vent and spread awareness about how important it is to think about our community and what people go through.
Dr. Sorensen was a generous donor and allowed me to host this event. She was a big part of the success of the Give 3k Food Pantry and Turkey Give Away. She continues to support my efforts when it comes to the charity. I also relied on the help of our first responders the Chicago Fire Department (Engines 30, 35, 43, and 57) and the Chicago Police Department (Districts 12 and 14). Along with collecting food pantry items, they attended the event as sponsors, donors, and volunteers. Captain Shouse of Engine 57, Sergeant Reyes from the 14th District, and Officer Crespo from the 12th District all came to show their support. I had more help at my school from Sergeant Lewis, Sergeant Cunningham, ROTC volunteers, and all the other student and staff volunteers who were all an essential part of organizing this event. Principal Klee of Burr Ele
mentary allowed me to place a donation box at his school to collect pantry items, and Alderm
an Moreno sponsored and donated and will work with me for my next event which will be a Easter Drive in April. Finally, my mother, Bridget Garcia, is my number one advocate, no matter what I ask of her. She was essential in helping me get commitments from the participating sponsors.
When I saw the faces of the families in line getting their food, I realized I changed someone’s life in some way. With the help of everyone, we were able to give 80 families bags of food and 75 families turkeys for Thanksgiving. This was a big step for my food pantry and I learned that a small idea can turn into something big if you dream big. This experience has opened up my eyes and has helped me realize that you can’t take things for granted and you should always give thanks for what you have.