Cheesy request met with 2,000 boxes of Kraft Dinner

Oshawa students help fill food bank shelves

March 12, 2010

By Crystal Crimi

OSHAWA -- When a Beau Valley Public School class made a very cheesy request to Kraft Canada, it didn't expect an answer.

The Grade 3 class especially didn't expect to have its request met with a donation of 2,000 boxes of Kraft Dinner for St. Peter's Food Bank in Oshawa.

"The class wrote a letter to Kraft Canada asking it to donate 100 boxes per student in the class for a total of 2,000," said Isabel Rankin, their Grade 3 teacher. "The kids are just over the moon that their letter made a difference."

Kraft responded to the request with a letter to Rosemary Doucett, coordinator of St. Peter's Food Bank, which informed her that 2,000 boxes of Kraft Dinner would be delivered March 9 thanks to the Grade 3 class's persuasive letter and DVD. The company was impressed by the letter and video the Grade 3 class sent and wanted to show them that kids can make a difference, according to its response.

"It was a remarkable experience to see how far a random act of kindness can go for both me and the kids," said Erin Weaver, a student teacher who worked with the class on the project.

The eight- and nine-year-old students wrote the letter through their persuasive writing unit in December with Ms. Weaver. They chose Kraft as a follow-up to their procedural writing unit in October, in which Ms. Weaver had them write, then follow, step-by-step directions for making macaroni and cheese.

The students came up with their own reasons and the number of boxes to request, which they turned into a DVD.

"We have an important thing to ask you," the kids said in their DVD to Kraft. "We need your help."

Some of their reasons included people in the world not being able to afford food and a bowl of Kraft Dinner being really nice when you're hungry.

In February, Kraft gave its reply, which the class revealed to Ms. Doucett March 4 during a special celebration that featured a viewing of their DVD request and a "We love KD and Ms. Weaver" cake.

"I just can't express our thanks to all of you," Ms. Doucett said to the students and added it was a wonderful surprise.

The food bank has never had 2,000 boxes of Kraft Dinner on its shelves at one time, Ms. Doucett said, and added it's a popular item.

It's overwhelming a Grade 3 class could do this, she added.

"It will be the first time we've had a donation of that size, period," Ms. Doucett said.

Nine-year-old Kyle Boily thinks the people who will be getting the Kraft Dinner will be really happy the students did that for them.

"Because it's a lot of boxes and a lot of money," Kyle said.

Sofie Eklund, age eight, feels really good about the donation, she said.

"I think I helped lots of people," Sofie said.

"The kids that don't have food, instead of them starving, they now have something to eat," added Nicole Halliday, age 8. "Kraft Dinner is yummy."

--with files by Vera El-Timany, co-op student