Schools, Rochester Opera House team up to fight hunger

ROCHESTER - Rochester Public Schools are working to support a collaborative effort aimed at ending hunger in Rochester.

The Rochester Opera House is hosting its first Pack the House event, aimed at filling all 750 seats in the historic theater with funds or a bag of food to benefit four local hunger- relief organizations -- the SHARE Fund Food Pantry, Gather, Grace Community Church Food Pantry, and End 68 Hours of Hunger.

All food and money collected will go to one of the four organizations.

Rochester Public Schools will support the effort by asking each grade in the District to focus on gathering a specific type of food needed by the organizations. From Oct. 4 to 8, students will be asked to bring in food donations:
Kindergarten -- Canned pasta meals
Grade 1 -- Canned meat (tuna and chicken)
Grade 2 -- Cereal
Grade 3 -- Canned pasta meals
Grade 4 -- Baked beans
Grade 5 -- Jelly
Grade 6 -- Canned corn
Grade 7 -- Cereal
Grade 8 -- Juice
Grade 9 -- Stew/chili
Grade 10 -- Jelly
Grade 11 -- Granola bars and crackers
Grade 12 -- Soup (not condensed)
"Educators know well the serious consequences that hunger can have on both learning and life, so we are very pleased to join this effort to end hunger in Rochester," Rochester Schools Superintendent Kyle Repucci said. "I urge all who are able to join this effort to collaboratively improve our community."