"That sounds so cliche that they are trying to make ends meet, but they really are," said Lakewood Elementary School media coordinator Turquoise Lejeune Parker.
Parker is the founder of the annual food drive and has worked to tackle food insecurity for more than a decade. There is intentionality behind the food that was selected for distribution, as organizers hope to make it easy for them to access.
"Cheerios, peanut butter, black beans, baked beans, corn, tuna, and chicken," she said.
On Tuesday, Parker received a heartfelt letter from Gov. Josh Stein on how appreciative he is to watch her feed children in Durham.
The gymnasium at Lakewood Elementary transformed into the main operations center with a crucial mission of bagging up non-perishable items as Durham Public Schools students prepare to head home for Christmas break. The goal is to feed nearly 5,000 DPS families at 12 elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools.
"I have unpacked green beans and ramen noodles. I helped clean up trash and things like that," said Durham County Commissioner Michelle Burton.
She was among dozens who volunteered their time working in shifts to help pull this off, including students from North Carolina Central University and Duke University, as well as local Divine 9 organizations.
"We understand right now that children are really struggling for food. We make sure that we are being here for this initiative and others throughout the city to help satisfy the need," said Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Alpha Zeta Omega chapter president Carrissa Dixon.
This effort is made possible through donations. Organizers collected more than 35 tons of food for families.
"For the fundraising piece of it, we've had several hundred people donate online. We have folks on Bluesky from around the world who contribute. Then, we have some extra folks who say, based on how many donors you get, I will match dollar for dollar what you raise," said organizer T. Greg Doucette.
Students will receive their bags of food from Wednesday through Friday.