DSHA High School Students Initiate Campaign to Raise Over $15,000 to Pack and Send 30,000 Meals to Poverty-stricken Burkina Faso in West Africa

Milwaukee, WI –  On Saturday, April 21^st, over 200 students (and other volunteers) at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School will participate in a food-pack that will provide 30,000 meals to Burkina Faso, a poverty-stricken country in West Africa that suffers from chronic food shortage due to both flooding and drought. The pack will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Funds for the food-pack were raised by students through a student-run auction entitled “Kids Gotta Eat!” held at the school on March 21^st. Raising over $15,000 students exceed their initial $12,000 goal required for the pack. Through a partnership with Catholic Relief Services Helping Hands initiative, all of the student-raised funds will support the purchase of food, and the packing and shipping of all 30,000 nutrient-dense meals for Burkina Faso.

The student-auction is an annual tradition that occurs during the Lenten season where students raise money in support of an international cause. This year, seniors wanted to choose a cause that would produce a tangible result with the hope of showing students and donors how impactful their donation is in the global world. Senior Cookie Topp shares, “In the past, our Lenten projects have helped with things that are not necessarily tangible, like education, or support for refugees – things students couldn’t see. This year we wanted to pick something so that students could physically see the difference they are making.”

Senior Grace Kaupp shares her hopes for the day saying, “One bowl of rice a day can be a blessing, and the fact that we can pack 30,000 nutritious meals is so meaningful. I hope the people receiving these meals feel the love we have for them. But I also hope the people volunteering at the food pack realize how blessed we are, and will leave motivated and ready to come together as a community to fight hunger.”

In addition to raising funds to support the Burkina Faso food pack through the auction, students reached out to a YouTube star for additional help. Comedian Charlie Berens, famous for poking good-natured fun at Wisconsinites, will hold a benefit stand-up comedy performance at DSHA the evening of the food pack to help celebrate the cause and raise additional funds for Catholic Relief Services emergency response initiatives. All in the community are welcome to attend the performance which begins at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21^st.

About DSHA 

Divine Savior Holy Angels High School is a Catholic college preparatory high school that excels at preparing young women intellectually, spiritually and personally. Sponsored by the Sisters of the Divine Savior, DSHA continues to build on 125 years of tradition in academic excellence and commitment to single gender education and attracts over 685 students annually from all over Southeastern Wisconsin. To learn more about DSHA, log on to www.dsha.info.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.