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Local teens hold food drive for Community Resource Center

February 18, 2021

In a drive to benefit the Community Resource Center in Rehoboth Beach, local teens MaryKate Barnhart and Zoe Brafman collected $1,115 in checks and more than 300 bags of canned goods, dry goods and baby items from homeowners in the Rehoboth Beach Yacht & Country Club community.

MaryKate and Zoe organized, marketed and collected items while they were home from school learning virtually during the winter term. Both girls are boarding students at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa.

“The RBYCC food drive efforts were something we took initiative on when we learned how many families in our own community are struggling with food insecurity. According to Feeding America, a nonprofit organization, one in six Americans have faced hunger throughout the pandemic. Collecting cans and baby products from our neighbors made me feel like I was doing my part to help others in some small way,” said Zoe, 15.

“Now more than ever, we saw the need to step up and serve our local community. Zoe and I realize that hunger is a reality in every town, not only in our most challenged communities. The entire RBYCC community should be proud of this effort during the pandemic,” said MaryKate, 15.

Two weeks prior to the food drive collection, Zoe and MaryKate dropped off brown paper bags with a letter detailing the items needed and pickup date. Neighbors graciously stacked their bags full of items on their front porch for a contactless collection.

Diane Shearon of the Community Resource Center said, "We are so overwhelmed with this wonderful donation and food drive from the Rehoboth Beach Yacht & Country Club that was put together by Zoe and MaryKate."

The Giant Food Store in Rehoboth Beach donated 500 paper bags for the effort.

The two local teens thank the RYBCC neighbors for their generous donations and support.

“Our school song states, ‘the back of each, the strength of all.’ Truer words have never been spoken than this past Saturday when we collected for our first annual food drive,” said MaryKate. “It was 34 degrees and raining, yet that didn't deter our community from stacking items on their front porch for our collection. Some offered to drive and bring us coffee. Your sweet notes thanking us for this food drive kept us warm inside as we filled five carloads with your items. The volunteers were overwhelmed with the generosity of our local community. We truly did fill their pantry.”

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