One in eight adults and one in five children in our area face food insecurity -- they are at risk of hunger and lack adequate access to the food they need to lead healthy, active lives. This issue and these statistics have motivated a Quad-City teen to join the fight against hunger. “Many know that hunger is a big problem in other countries around the world, but few realize that people in our own communities go hungry every day,” says Clare VanSpeybroeck, age 18.
Clare, an Alleman High School senior, Student Hunger Drive Leader, 4-H Teen Hunger Ambassador, and 2017 HERlead Fellow is holding her third annual meal packaging event. In 2015, her project generated over 16,000 non-perishable rice casserole meals for the Riverbend Food Bank. More than 21,000 meals were packaged last year. For her third event, VanSpeybroeck plans to double the amount from last year to over 40,000 meals weighing over 6,000 pounds. She invites everyone from the area to volunteer at the event held Sunday, September 24th from 12:30 until 2:30 p.m. in the gym at the Believers Together Center at Christ the King Church, 3209 60th Street, Moline. To assemble the packages, over 200 volunteers will be needed for the two-hour shift. All members of the community, especially youth, are encouraged to help. “It really is a great time,” says VanSpeybroeck, “people have fun working with their ‘teammates’ in the assembly lines. Each time a box is completely filled, the teams give a cheer. Everyone has fun and feels good actively helping those less fortunate.”
VanSpeybroeck began planning this year’s event immediately after her meal packaging event last year. Since then, she has been submitting grants and seeking donations to cover the $5,000 cost of meal ingredients, supplies, and transportation. “I’m so grateful for the many great organizations and individuals who are willing to support my efforts. This year my sponsors are Monsanto Farmers Growing Communities/The Tennant Family, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, Illinois 4-H Feeding and Growing Communities, Royal Neighbors of America, Rock Island County 4-H Education Foundation, Illini Fighting Hunger, Christ the King Church, and private donors.”
Clare has organized all of the logistics of the event including publicity, recruiting volunteers, fundraising and ordering the food and supplies from Illini Fighting Hunger, a student-run organization at the University of Illinois. She is in the process of establishing her own non-profit organization, called YouTH Tackle Hunger, that will guide other youth in planning their own hunger-fighting activities. As a result of her community involvement, VanSpeybroeck was recently selected as one of thirty girls in the nation to become a 2017 HERlead Fellow. Vital Voices and ANN Inc., parent company of Ann Taylor, The LOFT, and Lou & Grey, covered all expenses for Clare to attend the HERlead Leadership Forum in New York City this past June. The empowerment forum equips young women with the leadership skills they need to impact global progress, invest in their communities, and begin their journeys as the next generation of leaders. VanSpeybroeck had the opportunity to learn from ANN Inc. executives and Vital Voices mentors from around the globe. Other honors Clare has received include The President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Obama, the 2016 4-H State Award for Leadership, and the 2015 LOVE Girls Magazine Award for Volunteer of the Year. She was also recognized as a Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation Regional Honoree.
