Members of West High's Interact club pack 200 lunches in 20 minutes for a homeless shelter.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - There’s plenty of food in John Ruhlin’s West High classroom, but the dozen or more students gathered there during lunch period Tuesday aren’t eating, they’re packing lunch for someone else. Members of West’s Interact Club meet weekly during lunch to brainstorm service projects for others. Once a month they pack sack lunches for residents of the Brother Francis Homeless Shelter, 120 lunches, in just 20 minutes that are later delivered to the shelter.
“We are allowed to snack in this classroom, so we are not missing out on eating lunch,” said West Freshman and club member Emily Brubaker. “But I do really appreciate the opportunity we’ve been given to still be in school and provide lunches for people who may not otherwise be able to eat.”
Packing lunches for The Brother Francis Shelter is an on-going project that began in the fall of 2023, according to Ruhlin, the staff sponsor of the club since its beginning at West in 2013. On Tuesday, Ruhlin said the project had reached an important milestone — West students have packed 3000 meals for shelter residents. Ruhlin said he wasn’t surprised.
“Our students are doing amazing things,” Ruhlin said. “Not just in the classroom, but at lunch, after school. This is just part of what they want to do to be good people.”
“I hope that everyone, regardless of their age, is inspired to take action in helping their community,” said club president Myint Aung, a senior who is due to graduate. Interact Clubs are sponsored by Rotary International. The West High club is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Anchorage East, which provides grants to help with food purchased for the sack lunches.
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