Two local high schools are using their rivalry to help feed families.
“Fordson and Dearborn have been cross town rivals for the longest time and this year we’re putting that to good use. We’re doing the Battle Against Hunger,” explains Angie Achkar, a senior at Dearborn High School.
The Fordson Tractors and the Dearborn Pioneers are facing off to see who can raise the most canned goods and donations for Gleaners Community Food Bank. In last year’s Battle Against Hunger challenge, the two schools were able to collect over 40,000 cans.
“Dearborn High tries their best to compare to Fordson, but Fordson, you know, will always be the best,” brags Fordson senior Ehab Hassen.
It was a close race last year, but Fordson High School won the challenge by collecting 23,000 cans. This year, Dearborn High is looking for some payback.
“We’re definitely going to try to top last year’s total together, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves for that,” says Achkar.
The challenge wraps up during the varsity football game at Fordson on Friday where the 2016 winner will be announced.
“In Michigan alone, there’s over 700,000 people facing hunger. So, to unite both schools and put that rivalry to good use is the most amazing thing we could do,” says Achkar.
You should help people, you can help people, even if it’s a small way by donating money or cans it still helps,” Ehab says.
You can help the cause by donating canned goods to the Dearborn or Fordson high schools, or by donating money to Gleaners online at www.gcfb.org.
“I think it’s a ton of fun to see two rival schools decide, we’re not just going to be about competing with each other, we’re going to do this for the community and we’re going to do by collecting food for hungry people,” says Gerry Brisson, president of Gleaners Community Food Bank.
“In Michigan, there’s always a lot of people who need food and they’re out there needing food, so to be able to help them it’s satisfying enough, but using the rivalry to motivate people makes it even more satisfying,” Ehab says.
Story on Fox 2 News.