Dear MPA Families,

In response to the impending pause on S.N.A.P. benefits, Mounds Park Academy and the Parents Association will be hosting the MPA Do Right Helping Hands Food Drive. We have reached out to Open Cupboard/Today’s Harvest, a local food bank/free market with locations in Maplewood and Oakdale, to see how we at MPA could be of service. Open Cupboard asked if we could assist with collecting donations for their new Go Bag project. Go Bags are pre-packaged grocery bags that will help them quickly serve their 6,500+ families in times of high demand. Here's how you can help ...

CONTRIBUTE FOOD ITEMS

Starting on Tuesday, November 4, through Friday, November 7, food collection bins will be placed at doors 1 and 7. The items needed for the Go Bags are as follows:

• Canned tuna or chicken
• Canned fruit or vegetables
• Canned beans 
• Fast meals like mac & cheese or soup, etc.
• Bags of rice
• Plastic and paper grocery bags
• Reusable grocery bags

You can drop off any of these items, or you could make a pre-packed bag including one of each of these items and drop that off.

Please follow MPA’s allergy guidelines and refrain from bringing in anything with peanuts or tree nuts as ingredients or in the precautionary allergen labeling.

VOLUNTEER TO PACK GO BAGS AT MPA

Join us on Friday, November 7 from 12-1 PM and/or 1-2 PM to organize the items collected into Go Bags and load them up for delivery to Open Cupboard. Let us know you can help by signing up here.

VOLUNTEER AT OPEN CUPBOARD

Open Cupboard/Today's Harvest is in need of volunteers. This would be a wonderful opportunity for adults or Upper School students. Learn more here.

GET MORE INVOLVED

If you or someone you know owns a food-related company, grocery store, or logistics organization, and would like to help with a larger community effort, please reach out to communications@moundsparkacademy.org to be connected. 

And, if your family needs grocery support, contact Robert Perez, MPA CFOO, at rperez@moundsparkacademy.org. Care packages are available for you.

If you have any questions about the food drive, please contact me at laurahnicholson@gmail.com. Thank you for getting involved and setting a great example for our students as they shape their communities with purpose and responsibility. 

Warmly,

Laura Nicholson

MPA PA Co-President