Crushing Hunger delights Laguna Food Pantry with another hefty donation

As the pandemic persists, so does the need for food and supplies for South Orange County.

Crushing Hunger, a project initiated by Laguna Beach High School students in 2017, spearheaded an end-of-year push via Zoom to friends and family, directing them to the group’s Amazon Wish list for Laguna Food Pantry’s most needed items. 

After the items were delivered to Crushing Hunger’s garage and sanitized, current club members, LBHS students Hannah Williams, Fiona McCue, Sophia Pachl, and Molly Starr, made the special delivery of food sent from all over the country, along with a generous donation of $1,000 from the Hannah S. and Samuel A. Cohn Memorial Foundation, to the Laguna Food Pantry.

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Crushing Hunger club members (L-R) Hannah Williams, Fiona McCue, Sophia Pachl, and Molly Starr with Laguna Food Pantry Director Anne Belyea

According to Crushing Hunger, each wish list addresses specific food needs that anyone can choose from – from wherever they are – based on budget and preference, and shipping is free.

Crushing Hunger was inspired by the story of seven-year-old Kaden Newton, a Texas boy who started a nonprofit called Mac and Cheese and Pancakes.

After visiting a local food pantry, Kaden realized the pantry didn’t have a lot of kid-friendly foods. So for his birthday, he created an Amazon Wish List for just those two items. On his birthday, a room in his home was stacked high with Mac and Cheese and pancake mix.

That inspired the LBHS student project and is also a way for the teens to meet community service hours at Laguna Beach High School. Months later, it has turned into teamwork for a passion.

For information on Crushing Hunger, go to www.crushinghunger.org.