Kohler students battling child hunger with food drive, GoFundMe & awareness campaign
KOHLER – When Kohler High School seniors Olivia Scheuren and Ellie Martin were brainstorming a community awareness project to do part of the school's Health Occupations Student of America charter association , one issue was personal to them.
As a kid, Martin said she struggled with food insecurity before she moved to Kohler. When she lived in Illinois, she said her family utilized food banks and state benefits.
"We just thought of something that was important, especially around the holidays, and making children feel supported," Martin said about brainstorming the idea with Scheuren.
6,219 children younger than 5 years old and 18,922 children between 5 and 17 years old are living in poverty across the county, according to Sheboygan County Food Bank data. The food bank also estimates about 5,000 kids struggle with hunger countywide.
To spread awareness about child hunger in the county this holiday season, the pair organized a food drive and fundraiser for the SCFB.
Related: Letters: On supporting MAGA agenda and battling child hunger
Food and monetary donations raised will support the SCFB, which has reported serving an average of 6,000 families a month at its various sites, up from 5,000 a month last year.
The food bank shared it was facing food shortages in October, in most need of personal care items, peanut butter, cereal, oatmeal, and canned goods like soup, fruit and tuna.
The students also utilized social media, like Instagram and TikTok, taped up posters at schools like Howards Grove High School and reached out to Mayor Ryan Sorenson for a proclamation recognizing their cause. It will be presented to them at the Dec. 2 Common Council meeting.
They're hoping to receive a proclamation from Gov. Tony Evers, too.
"Everyone supports each other, so that's why we thought we could do this project," Scheuren said of the Kohler High School community.
To learn about the impact of hunger on children, they interviewed a school nurse and plan to speak with a pediatrician.
Scheuren said they learned about malnourishment signs and symptoms for children experiencing hunger, like brittle bones, muscle deterioration and negative effects on emotional development through speaking with the school nurse.
"It was really devastating," she said.
Martin added children struggling with hunger may have more difficulty dealing with allergies and asthma.
Other symptoms of undernutrition can include stunted growth, weakness and fatigue, irritability or inattention, low body temperature or blood pressure, and dry, inelastic skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Thanksgiving dishes and where to eat: Favorite Thanksgiving dishes, food safety & restaurants open — what to know for the holiday
Students hope to advance to state and international HOSA competitions
The high schoolers joined HOSA because they are interested in pursuing careers in the health care field. Martin wants to be a pediatrician and Scheuren wants to be a physical therapist.
Martin said they both have a passion for helping others, first working with children and as certified nursing assistants.
In addition to collaborating with other high school organizations on blood drives and volunteering, the members of the high school's HOSA charter association can participate in competition events.
The pair is competing in the "Community Awareness" category, one event in the "Teamwork" category . Others include "Creative Problem Solving" and "Health Education."
After the food drive, Martin and Scheuren will present a portfolio of their findings to be considered for the Wisconsin HOSA State Leadership Conference at Wisconsin Dells in April. If they make it past that level, they will compete at HOSA's International Leadership Conference in Nashville next summer.
Martin has presented research posters on how sleep affects grades and mental health and awareness about e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury, or EVALI. Last year, she placed second at the SLC and advanced to ILC held in Houston, Texas.
What to know about the food drive and GoFundMe
The food drive, Nov. 25 to Dec. 6, will accept canned soups, canned vegetables, brown rice, whole grain pasta, peanut butter and cereal.
Donation bins are at Kohler High School, Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah High School and the Woodlake Market in Kohler, 795A Woodlake Road.
Monetary donations can be given at the GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/f/kohler-high-school-students-supporting-hungry-children . $730 of a $5,000 goal had been raised as of Nov. 25.
Email Olivia at oliviarose452@icloud.com and Ellie at ekm301@icloud.com with additional questions.
Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com . Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alexx_garner .
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Kohler students Olivia Scheuren, Ellie Martin start child hunger drive
