01-06-2025
Newman Central Catholic High School completes pasta drive to help kids
Newman Central Catholic High School has announced the successful completion of a pasta drive organized by its student clubs to support the Let's Feed Our Children program, an initiative by the United Way of Whiteside County aimed at addressing childhood food insecurity during thesummer months, a news release says.
The Mary Shelly Club took the lead in this community effort, partnering with Mardi Ybarra from United Way of Whiteside County to collect donations of individually packaged pasta meals—including Easy Mac, Chef Boyardee, ramen noodles, and chicken noodle soup. These donations contribute directly to the nearly 15,000 servings of pasta needed to provide free summer meals to children throughout Whiteside County.
'Newman's students and staff are committed to serving the community, and this pasta drive is a wonderful example of that dedication,' said Paula Passini, director of advancement at Newman Central Catholic High School. 'We are grateful to the Mary Shelly Club and all participants who helped support this vital program to ensure no child goes hungry during the summer.'
The Let's Feed Our Children program will continue distributing grab-and-go meals across 20 locations in Whiteside County throughout the summer, providing four free sack lunches weekly to any child 18 years or younger.
For more information about the program or to get involved, contact Mardi Ybarra at United Way of Whiteside County by phone at 815-625-7973 or email mybarra@
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