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Local Primrose students donate 6,000 pounds of food to Minnie's Food Pantry

One in every 4 children (or 289,000) in North Texas are food insecure. Primrose kindergartners are helping to fix that.
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All courtesy of Primrose Schools

One in every 4 children (or 289,000) in North Texas are food insecure. Primrose kindergartners are helping to fix that.

Kindergarten children from the Plano, Frisco, North Dallas and Garland areas swept the floor, set the table and made their beds to earn money to buy non-perishable food for the less fortunate, in addition to collecting canned goods at their schools. On November 16, more than 70 four-and-five-year-olds from Primrose Schools of Prestonwood, Firewheel, Frisco West, Plano at Preston Meadow and Plano Deerfield unloaded their hard-earned food purchases can-by-can, in addition to the cans donated by Primrose families. They raised 6,000 pounds of food, all of which was all donated at Minnie’s Food Pantry.

The project was Dr. Pratiksha Rigley’s idea. Jamie Maddox, Area Director for Primrose said, “We are always looking for ways to partner within our community. In the past we have gone to North Texas Food Bank, however once we met Cheryl Jackson at the Plano Profile WIB Luncheon, we were excited to know we could make the same impact closer to home.”

The kids collected food from November 1-14. They received change for their chores at home which they donated to the school fund. Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten students then counted the change, created a shopping list and went to a local grocery store to purchase food for Minnie’s Food Pantry.

This is a great learning experience and philanthropy opportunity and Primrose schools do similar projects throughout the year. During the holidays, Primrose schools collect toys for Toys for Tots and have also held a toy drive for the children spending their holidays at the local hospital as well as diaper drives for a local charity supporting single moms.

“We begin the month reading the book Have you filled a bucket? We discuss with them about how to be “bucket fillers” and not “bucket dippers.” The book is based on the idea that each person has an “emotional bucket” and when we do kind things for others we “fill” their bucket and when we are not nice we “dip” into their buckets,” Maddox said. “We have the children come up with ideas how they will “fill” someone’s bucket.”

Primrose had big goals this donation of 5,000 pounds of food items, doubling their 2015 goal of nearly 2500 food items. It arrives when North Texas families find themselves in critical need, during the holiday season when men, women and children face hunger. Minnie’s Food Pantry, along with many others, are facing financial hardships due to diminished stocks of food and increased demand. The Frisco Rough Riders and Texas Legends mascots came out to celebrate with the children and help drop off the canned goods.

“Primrose believes that who children become is as important as what they know,” Maddox continued. “This was a prime example of that. Primrose Schools’ curriculum instills in children to care for their community and their world. The children realized that other children are in need of things, such as food and clothing. It made them aware that sometimes for others it’s not as easy to just go to their own pantry in their house and get food. They saw other families coming to get food for Thanksgiving while we were there and this brought it “home” for them. They were proud of all the work they did with their chores and the change they raised.”

Primrose Schools of Prestonwood, Firewheel, Plano Deefield, Plano at Preston Meadow and Frisco West, PK & Kindergarten Children accomplished this with the help of  Minnie’s Food Pantry, Founder Cheryl “Action” Jackson, Lynette Shofner, Primrose Franchise Owner Dr. Pratiksha Rigley and Area Director Jamie Maddox.

About Primrose Schools

Celebrating 34 years of service in 2016, Primrose Schools is the nation’s leader in providing a premier educational child care experience in more than 245 schools in 17 states. Primrose partners with parents to help children build the right foundation for future learning and life, and offers an environment that helps children have fun while nurturing Active Minds, Healthy Bodies and Happy Hearts.

primroseschools.com

About Minnie’s Food Pantry

Minnie’s Food Pantry was founded by Dr. Cheryl “Action” Jackson to honor her mother, the late Minnie Hawthorne-Ewing D.D. They are 100% people and community funded. Every dollar donated provides three meals. Minnie’s Food Pantry is one of the leading pantries in Collin County and they are proud members of Feeding America, the North Texas Food Bank and GuideStar.

minniesfoodpantry.org