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EDPG #10: Leadership and Collaboration
To demonstrate my understanding of EDPG #10, I have included a reflection of my
experience working with the Feed the Need Program, associated with Food Finders Food Bank.
During the Fall of 2009, North Montgomery Junior High School sponsored a canned food drive
in cooperation with Food Finders Food Bank. I volunteered at the food bank during this time,
helping to fill backpacks for Food Finders’ Back Pack Program, a program that provides back
packs filled with healthy food to qualifying elementary students. I became aware of how hunger
affects those in my community and worldwide during this experience. I created a lesson plan
during this time based on the book, Beatrice’s Goat, which introduces Heifer Project
International, an organization that works to combat world hunger by providing livestock to poor
communities around the world. This lesson was designed to raise awareness of world hunger and
to instill a spirit of citizenship. Beatrice’s Goat by Paige McBrier is appropriate for Language
Arts or Social Studies classrooms.
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Immersion Experience
Lesson Plan: Beatrice’s Goat/Food Finders Canned Food Drive
During the month of October, North Montgomery Junior High School had a nonperishable/canned food drive. The class collecting the most canned/non-perishable food items
would be treated to breakfast the week before Thanksgiving. When I learned about the Feed
the Need program, I was inspired to volunteer at the Food Finders Food Bank.
When I called Food Finders, I was told that volunteers are always needed and that
November is the busiest time of the year because of the food drive. I was excited that my help
would be needed, and I volunteered for a Monday when school was out (end of trimester). I
thought Monday would be a slow day, but it turns out I picked a day when work is the hardest –
and coldest. Food Finders has several vans and refrigerated box trucks and they pick up a lot of
donated foods on Monday morning. I was paired with another volunteer, Rich, to separate food
and non-food items into categories. Rich, a youth pastor, and I worked in an area off the
loading dock. Refrigerated items were our first priority, and they were checked for dates and
leakage / damage, loaded onto carts and moved into the cooler. Frozen items are usually
donated by the case and they were checked the same way and moved to the freezers. I was
amazed at the quality and variety of food donated. I had assumed the food bank used primarily
non-perishable items, but we checked in steaks, shrimp, milk and lots of Krispy Kreme
Doughnuts!
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The hardest work by far was separating the donations from canned food drives. Stores
often donate whole cases, but the canned food drive results in hundreds of boxes full of items
that have to be separated. We worked from one box at a time with dozens of labeled boxes in
front of us where we organized beans, corn, canned fruits, condiments, pasta and rice. We
didn’t check dates for canned items, but just boxed them as quickly as we could and stored
them in the designated area. Boxes are rotated and brought out to fill shelves where families
will ‘shop.’
The corporate donations were impressive – there were dozens of pallets of Frito-Lay
products. The front part of the food bank is set up much like a supermarket. People can push a
cart up and down the aisles, choosing their food and non-food items. There are all sorts of food
items as well as paper products, cleaning products, toiletries and diapers.
By lunch-time, I was tired and very dirty. Rich and I had a sandwich in the break room
and I had an opportunity to ask some questions about how the food bank works. Food Finders
Food Bank takes donations from individuals and organized food drives and also food from
stores and restaurants that would otherwise go to waste. Food wholesalers and retailers
donate surplus inventory. Food Finders picks up the donations and volunteers help with
unpacking and boxing. With donated funds, Food Finders is able to purchase high-demand
items that are not donated, such as meat, poultry, tuna and peanut butter. Food Finders is
grateful for all donations, but often there are not enough protein items donated and the
monetary donations are invaluable for making sure families have, not just food, but the kinds of
foods which offer families a nutritious and well-balanced diet.
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Every Friday, all baked goods and produce are taken to government housing projects or
donated to churches that serve meals or donate food to the needy. Nothing is wasted – if Food
Finders cannot use it, it is passed along to someone who can.
After lunch, Rich and I worked filling backpacks for the Backpack Program. Qualified
elementary school students are chosen by teachers to receive a back pack. Students are chosen
who might not get a good, nutritious meal on the weekend. Each new backpack is filled with
peanut butter, a box of crackers, tuna, canned fruit, granola bars, oatmeal bars, and apples. I
loved working on the backpacks, knowing that on that very weekend, a child would take a
backpack home and have plenty to eat. On this particular day, we added special Halloween
treats to the backpacks. What fun!
It was very moving to work at the Food Finders Food Bank. Rich’s job as a youth pastor
gives him the flexibility to be able to volunteer every week and he told me that it is staggering
how many people are hungry. Unemployment rates are high now and there are people coming
to the Food Bank who would never have imagined needing help. Packing the backpacks really
got to me - I cried on the way home thinking of children in desperate need of nutritious meals.
When I returned to school, I told my students about my day at Food Finders. They
wanted to know what was needed most – I soon realized that they especially wanted to know
that there was a specific need for what they were donating. Our school ended its canned food
drive on Friday, November 13 with 796 pounds of food collected.
The 2009 Community Harvest Food Drive continues at Food Finders until November 25.
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Book: “Beatrice’s Goat” by Page McBrier, ages 4-8, Copyright 2001, Cahner’s Business
Information, Inc.
Beatrice is a young girl growing up in a poor village in Uganda. Beatrice would love to go
to school, but her family can’t afford to send her – they don’t even have enough to eat. One day
a charitable organization gives Beatrice’s family a goat. Beatrice holds the goat to her and
whispers, “Mama says you are our lucky gift…” The gift of the goat truly is the beginning of a
new life for this family. The goat provides enough milk for the family to drink and more to sell
and bears two kids that will be sold as well. Beatrice does realize her dream of being able to go
to school.
“Beatrice’s Goat” is based on a true story about Heifer Project International and one of
the families aided by the organization. Heifer Project International is based in Little Rock,
Arkansas. They donate livestock to poor communities around the world. A portion of the
proceeds from the sale of the book go to Heifer Project International.
Hillary Rodham Clinton writes, “Beatrice’s Goat is a heartwarming reminder that
families, wherever they live, can change their lives for the better.”
Lesson plan follows:
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Beatrice’s Goat
Subject: Appropriate for Language Arts / Social Studies
Grade: 6
Rationale: To raise awareness of people in need and the idea of helping others; also, to
introduce Heifer Project International.
Objectives; Student Outcomes: Students will:

Read “Beatrice’s Goat”

Research world hunger

Begin non-perishable food drive

Make poster

Write essay

Visit local food bank
Materials / Preparation

The book, “Beatrice’s Goat” by Page McBrier

Materials for “Read to Feed” Program *Note: Heifer Project International provides a
leader’s guide free of charge. The guide includes a book, video, and materials needed
for the Read to Feed program. (www.readtofeed.org) The guide arrives in 7-10 days.
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(Teaching guide is for elementary, but the video and other materials could be used for
other age groups.)

Permission forms for field trip

Art supplies – posters, magazines, markers, stencils, etc.

Small, soft ball to toss
Lesson Presentation
Anticipatory Set:

Read the story, “Beatrice’s Goat.” Consider using a projector so students are able to see
Lori Lohstoer’s beautiful illustrations of the African countryside.

Explain that “Beatrice’s Goat” is a true story. Talk about the mission of Heifer Project
International.
Teaching Procedures:

Find Uganda on the world map / globe.

Talk about world hunger and the fact that in many parts of the world, people not only
do not have enough to eat, but also have very few choices of what they will eat.

Allow computer time for researching global hunger. Instruct the students to search for
statistics (United States and other countries), nutritional needs, and also ways we can
help (organizations, local food banks, etc.) Tell students to take notes – they will share
information later.

Come together in a circle to allow discussion of what students found on the internet
about hunger. Begin by giving information about the “Read to Feed” program and then
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toss the ball to a student. After the student who has the ball shares information, the ball
will be tossed to another who will share, and this continues for the time allotted.

Assign essay – Give students the week to write the essay, “What I Can Do to Make a
Difference.”

Show video from Heifer Project International packet, “The Promise.”

Students (in groups of 2-3) will make a poster using information found on the Internet,
pictures printed from Internet or cut from magazines, and various art supplies. Tell
students the posters will be hung around the school to advertise the food drive.
Guided and Independent Practice:

Ask students how the families in the book / video compare with their own families.
(How are they alike? How are they different?)

Walk through computer lab during Internet search offering search ideas and feedback,
and monitoring appropriate Internet use.
Closure:
End the lesson with a field trip to the local food bank and a kick-off of the food drive.
Hang posters advertising food drive and announce a time frame for collecting. Explain to
students that the food they are about to collect will be used by the local food bank to feed
hungry families.
Assessment of Student Outcomes:
Grade group posters based on understanding on concept, use of pictures / graphics, and
artistic expression. Grade essays based on understanding of concept, grammatical and spelling
errors.
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Multi-cultural Emphasis:
“Beatrice’s Goat” is set in Uganda. Illustrations are lush, colorful paintings of Africa.
Students will discuss Africa as well as other places in the world and the idea that hunger is a
universal problem.
Technology:
Students will be supervised in the computer lab for Internet research.
Adaptations / Modifications:
This lesson is more about raising awareness and instilling a spirit of citizenship than
mechanics of learning. Modifications could be made in what is required for the essay – for
instance, a student could give an oral report rather than writing. The book itself was written for
a younger audience (ages 4-8) so it will be an easier read for those on a lower reading level.
Evaluation of lesson:

Did students respond to “Beatrice’s Goat”?

Did students reflect an understanding of hunger and how the Heifer International
Project works to end global hunger by providing livestock and training to families in
need?