For the 35th year, the Fox Chapel Area School District telethon is raising money for Backpack for Hunger

There are children in the Fox Chapel Area School District who go hungry.

Weekends can be times when they don’t have a hot meal. An extended number of days away from school such as the upcoming holiday break can mean even less available food.

Their peers are doing something about it.

Fox Chapel Area School District students will hold their 35th charity telethon at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the high school. The event will raise money for Backpack for Hunger, an organization that provides food for students in the district.

Food is bagged and sent home every Friday. The group also gives food to district children during the summer months.

The bags contain 15 healthy, nonperishable food items that are easy to open and prepare for children of all ages.

Items include soup, ravioli, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, cereal, oatmeal, breakfast bars, fruit cups, applesauce pouches, ramen noodles, cheese crackers, protein bars, fruit chews, Nutella, pudding and more.

Since its inception in 2015, the group has distributed more than 85,000 bags of food. Students in the district have donated more than $1,188,268 to local and regional charities through the telethon. Last year they raised $66,775.

“As a student at Fox Chapel, I have seen firsthand how easily the struggling parts of our community are concealed,” said Annie Mohn, student telethon coordinator. “Over 250 students in our district receive these backpacks anonymously biweekly. It is extremely important we give our student body access to information regarding the condition of our community and how they can give back.”

Students from Fairview, Hartwood, Kerr and O’Hara elementary schools, Dorseyville Middle School and Fox Chapel Area High School will participate.

The Fox Chapel Area High School Fox Leadership Council coordinates the telethon. High school video production students plan and produce the event. Part of that role involves traveling to pretape segments featuring students from the district’s other schools.

“The tradition of the telethon and spirit of giving has been part of this school community for years,” said Michael Hower, lead principal at Fox Chapel Area High School. “It has been so prominent because, as a school community, we understand that it takes a united effort to support those needing a helping hand.”

Hower said having the students not only involved but leading the initiatives is what makes the annual telethon such a success. He said there are consistent needs throughout any particular year, but they recognize the holiday season can bring about even more challenges.

The telethon is focused on raising money, but there are initiatives throughout the year that support food donations.

“The staff and students embody exactly what it takes to bring about real support and change, and they do it through kindness, school spirit and creativity,” Hower said.

Mohn said more than three decades of fundraising can be attributed to the spirit of the student body during what she calls “The Telethon Season.” It’s where clubs, teams and staff all come together for food and fun throughout the month of December.

She said students should feel a push to step outside their own privilege and help those around them. She said the holidays are a stressful time for many. But food insecurity occurs year-round in the district. Because of this, she said, it is important to come together as a community and show the true spirit of the holidays, “which is giving back to those we love.”

“The purpose of the telethon is not just to fundraise but to make sure each student plays a small part in what it takes to ensure everyone within our community feels supported by their neighbors,” Mohn said. “This is the kind of fundraiser where every dollar goes directly to those in need. It costs approximately $9 to fill each backpack, so any amount, large or small, makes a huge difference.”

The telethon will be broadcast live on the Swift Fox Media YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/@SwiftFoxMedia and will be available after it airs. The public is invited to make donations online at https://backpackforhunger.org/donate/.