Raleigh boy does his part to help the hungry with third food drive
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A Raleigh boy known as "The Food Drive Kid," who has collected thousands of pounds of food and as many dollars for Wake County children in need, hopes to help even more people Saturday during his latest drive.
"This truck, we are going to fill it up plum full of food," said the William Winslow, a 9-year-old A.B. Combs third grader, while he and his brother Alex, 9 and his father, Mac, were setting up at the Food Lion grocery store on Avent Ferry Road.
William pitched the drive to his dad after he overheard the Backpack Buddies program at this school had a food shortage.
"In the car one day I said 'Dad, there's some people who don't have enough food. Can I do something about it?'" William explained.
The conversation led to another conversation with the Avent Ferry Food Lion manager.
"He talked to the store manager and said, 'Hey can I stand outside to collect food one weekend,'" his father, Mac, told ABC11.
That was the three years ago when William spent the following weekend collecting 1,400 pounds of food and roughly $300.
Last year, he added three more stores, more volunteers, and collected 7,000 pounds and $4,000. This year, he's set his goal at 5,000 pounds and $10,000 respectively.
"I want them to donate canned meat, canned fruit, canned vegetables, macaroni," William explained.
The list of 10 drop-off locations along with the types of food they are collecting is listed on his website: Thefooddrivekid.org.
The drive kicks off at 9 a.m. and lasts until 4 p.m. All of the food and money collected will go to The Interfaith Shuttle and Backpack Buddies, which is a program that gives backpacks full of food to children to take home over the weekend.
"Sometimes we're shocked at how much he's teaching us at the same time that we're supposed to be teaching him. It's been a really cool experience," said Mac, who's still surprised the event has grown rapidly.
William said he feels a obligated to help.
"If no one did this, there would be a world full of hungry kids," said William.
