Some of our newest Saints got a head start on their Christian service hours for the new school year by packing meals at Feed My Starving Children in Tempe on Wednesday, July 23.

Ms. Jan Carteaux organized the volunteer opportunity for any of her English 1 Honors students who wanted to serve in the summer. “With our freshmen coming from 30+ feeder schools, some not knowing anyone on the first day of class, I wanted to provide an opportunity for them to form friendships while being Christ’s hands and feet, caring for the hungry,” she said.

Madison Beams, Micah DesJardins, Scarlett Eldridge, Cameron Ferber, Zachary Fraij, Ava Lurie, Zoe Orchard, Josephine Pulis, Francesa Sabori, Brooke Walker, Isla Wieghaus, and Rylee Wray were students who gave up their Wednesday afternoon to put their faith in action.

NDP Admissions Director Matt Rylski co-chaperoned, with the adults running the sealing equipment while the students measured, packaged, and weighed the contents before the adults sealed them. During the two-hour session, they and the other volunteers from around the Valley packaged 28,080 meals.

Said Ava, “I’m here today because I like to help kids struggling with hunger all over the world.”