HARFORD COUNTY, Md — There’s breakfast, lunch and dinner but for growing kids those in-between snacks are crucial.
“They go the rest of the afternoon hungry until they’re able to get a dinner, if they’re able to,” said Zachary Gwiazda, Chair of We Cancerve.
That’s where Snack Attack comes in.
This student-led initiative is tackling food insecurity by delivering bags of snacks to schools and local organizations, like the Boys and Girls Club.
“It’s kids helping kids. We know what they like. It betters the community, it betters the world. And that’s what we’re trying to do,” said 13-year-old Nael Shakur.
This is Shakur's first year leading the program. The group recently dropped over 300 bags at Aberdeen Middle and Joppatowne High Schools.
“We recently realized that a lot of the students there were experiencing food insecurity,” said Shakur.
Snack Attack is just one of many initiatives by We Cancerve.
Founder Grace Callwood started the nonprofit in 2012 after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
When she left for college, 16-year-old Zach Gwiazda stepped up to support the cause.
“The goal is to provide happiness to children who are in the hospital, in foster care group homes, or for families that are below the poverty line,” said Gwiazda, who is now the chair of the nonprofit’s Board of Advisors.
We Cancerve has reached over 33,000 children in five states and six countries.
“It’s eye-opening to see that there are so many kids in our community my age who don’t have the same luxuries as I do,” he said. "Sometimes kids come home from school and we all want an after-school snack, but some kids’ families can’t afford that.”
We Cancerve is getting ready for their next community event. Shakur will lead a team in stuffing over 500 “Bagkits” with special treats for children. You can volunteer 10am on April 5 at Edgewood Public Library.
