When two elementary schools from two different demographics in Butte County joined forces on a field trip to our long-standing partner, North State Food Bank, to assemble meals for local families in need, it was a unique and powerful experience.
Redefining Giving Through Experience
Too often, food insecurity is seen only through the lens of charity—a one-way handout. But we believe in something deeper: dignity, inclusion, and empowerment. Several students on this trip are food insecure themselves. By placing them at the center of the solution, we help destigmatize hunger and show that being food insecure doesn’t mean you can’t also be a giver.
The Spill Over Effect of Empowerment
Before arriving at the food bank, teachers trained through our Educator Coaching program. They introduced students to what it means to be food insecure and how it affects their community. During the field trip, students worked side by side—some for the first time—with peers from a neighboring school. They packed 2,548 servings of rice and beans, used math skills to weigh and divide food items, and used collaborative problem-solving to create their meal bags.
What happened next showed us just how powerful this experience truly was. Teachers reported a profound shift:
- Students who previously felt shame about receiving free food at school realized they too can help others experiencing food insecurity. Their classmates, now aware of the reality of food insecurity, expressed more empathy—and respect.
- Some students were so inspired, they suggested planting community fruit trees so their neighborhoods could have access to fresh produce, season after season.
- After the second field trip, one teacher shared that it changed how they think about their school food pantry. They plan to involve students directly in organizing and running it, giving them ownership and reducing stigma.
More Thank Just a Field Trip
As part of our comprehensive Food Insecurity & Nutrition school program, field trips to the food bank are an experiential component of a curriculum that explores food systems, food insecurity, empathy, and community care.
When we empower students who are food insecure to become helpers and leaders, we break down shame, build community, and create lasting change.
Support the next generation of leaders by funding more field trips, food bank partnerships, and student-led solutions. Thank you for helping make experiences like this possible. Contact us to learn more about our School Programs.
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