Blackfoot sixth-graders raised thousands of dollars for local food bank

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI)– Students from Blackfoot Heritage Sixth Grade School donated 250 turkeys and $17,000 to the Blackfoot Community Pantry on Wednesday morning.

The donations were part of the school's annual 'Coins for Turkeys' fundraiser, where classes compete to raise the most money for the food bank. This year, students and staff raised over $21,000 in total.

"It brings tears to my eyes," said Lee Hammett, co-founder of the Blackfoot Community Pantry and Community Dinner Table program. "This is the 10th year the sixth grade has done this, and every year they increase their gift."

The winner of this year's Coins for Turkeys fundraiser was Nicole Robinson's class, which raised a little over $3,500.

Students approached local businesses and went door-to-door collecting donations from local people to raise the money.

"The generosity of this community is unparalleled, and that's how a sixth grade can raise over $21,000 for the food pantry," said Robinson. "It's the generosity of those people."

Gene Balsmeier, director of the Blackfoot Community Pantry, said that through donations they are able to give about 7,000 pounds of food to 200 families every week.

The Community Pantry has served 7,600 families so far this year.

"For being a small community, I would dare say that you probably won't find a more generous community than the Blackfoot community," said Balsmeier.

To learn more about the Community Pantry, or for information on how to donate, you can visit the Blackfoot Community Pantry website.