High School Food Drive poster winners from left to right: Josh Herrboldt, Annessa Brock and Johnny Cormier.

The Second Annual "Stuff the Bus” food drive was held in the Sears parking lot at the corner of Wible Road and Ming Avenue from February 19 -22. Two radio stations, Play 103.9 and Radio Campesina broadcast from the food drive location for four days. KERO 23 ABC and Azteca America 42 broadcast daily as well. El Popular publicized the drive to its readers. JAM basketball players were on hand to take donations and Sam’s Club also collected food at its store.

Food and funds from the drive were donated to the Community Action Food Bank. The food drive brought in 8,400 pounds of food and more than $7,000.  The Food Bank is able to purchase food at deeply discounted prices so the $7,000 will buy 70,000 pounds of food.

More than 50 high school and middle school students submitted posters for the Food Drive. All the posters are currently being displayed in GET buses. The goal of the contest was to raise awareness among local students about the need to help those who are less fortunate. The contest was conducted by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, a partner in the Healthy Food Drive.

The high school winners were:

After receiving her check for $500, Brock donated $100 back to the food drive!

Awards of Merit were given to Carrie Kunzmann, Bakerfield High School; Lauren Marriott, Bakersfield High School and Cristina Martinez, Ridegeview High School

Middle School Winners were:

The Partnership Food Bank serves more than 140,000 eligible Kern County residents through 72 pantries, 25 after school programs, 23 senior centers (400 Home bound seniors) and 36 commodity distribution sites. Annually, the Food Bank distributes more than 5 million pounds of food to hungry individuals, families and low-income seniors throughout Kern County. Fifty- seven percent of those served by the Partnership are children.

Hunger is a very real problem in Kern County.  According to a study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the highest prevalence of food insecurity was observed in seven California counties including Kern. More than two in five low-income adults were food insecure in 2003.

Food insecurity is described as the lack of assured access to enough food for an active, healthy life. In mild and moderate levels, food insecurity means worrying about having enough food and adjusting the household budget to buy food, often foregoing other basic needs to ensure the family is fed. In its severe form, food insecurity means going hungry for an extended period of time.