For the past fifteen years, Jenison Public Schools have been partnering with Dégagé Ministries by sponsoring the “Your Change Can Change Hunger” drive in buildings throughout the district.

And for each of those fifteen years, students like the ones pictured above have arrived to school with their pockets stuffed with pennies and quarters; they’ve pulled ziplock bags from their backpacks and cheerfully dumped their nickels into the collection bin.

Those coins impact a lot of lives when you consider that Dégagé’s food pantry is not bound by supermarket prices when helping families. Rather than paying an average of $2 for a pound of food as we might do at our local grocery store, they are able to partner with Feeding America and purchase food for just 16¢ a pound! To add to the savings, Dégagé is able to acquire produce through Feeding America for 6¢ a pound!

After a week of dedicated collections, we are pleased to announce that the students at Bauerwood (featured in our photos), Bursley, Rosewood, and Pinewood Elementary Schools contributed over $5, 415, putting Jenison’s fifteen-year total at $108,000!

Because of  the buying power that Feeding America provides, this year’s donations alone will extend a helping hand to over 100 families!

Even in a difficult economy with so many of our own local families struggling under the weight of mounting bills and joblessness, Jenison families continue to show compassion for those who feel hopeless; they continue to offer up what they can so their neighbors’ burden can be eased.

Project coordinator, Sue Hodson, says she “..feels truly blessed and privileged to be a part of this process. I’m excited to think that these students (who are our future leaders) are learning about and effectively making a difference to change hunger for many in the Heartside neighborhood of GR.”

If you were one of the families who scrounged for dimes in your seat cushions or returned pop cans so that you could contribute to this cause, thank you.

It is indeed a joy to demonstrate love in such a tangible way during the holidays.

What do you most enjoy about giving to others? How are you demonstrating generosity this Thanksgiving?