High school students in the Bismarck-Mandan area have launched “Bis-Man Gives a Can” – an effort to collect food for the Great Plains Food Bank.
The idea came from Teddy Andrist. He’s a sophomore at Bismarck Century High School. He said it is a student-led community wide food drive to help the hungry.
Andrist said one in five kids across the state are experiencing food insecurity. And he said for 20 years “Fill the Dome” in Fargo has been collecting food and raising money for their neighbors in need.
"I though that was a great model," Andrist said. "So we decided to start something similar in Bismarck-Mandan."
Andrist said representatives from each high school in Bismarck and Mandan served on a committee to organize the event.
"Our sports teams, music ensembles, and everyone — we made a small, friendly competition and rivalries between schools, so that we can get as many donations as possible," Andrist said
The goal is to collet 2000 food items from each school.
"We realized the need for food in our communities, especially for kids in our schools, and the children in the community who go home, or maybe don't have a house to go to, and don't know what their next meal is going to be," said Bismarck St. Mary's student Olivia Lundeen. "I really wanted to help try to conquer that challenge of food for families."
Food is being accepted at the Bismarck Event Center through Tuesday.
