A Glendale boy recently won more than 15 tons of protein for a Valley food bank.
Tyson Foods donated the chicken to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance on behalf of Cody Mitchell, who had won a video contest that showcased initiatives to feed the hungry. Cody was perhaps a shoo-in for the contest.
The 8-year-old had made headlines last summer when he organized a book sale, for money or food, in the driveway of his Greenbriar Drive home in north Glendale. He’d gotten the idea after seeing a 12-year-old featured on national news for a similar campaign. “I can do that,” Cody told his mother, Elisabeth Mitchell, 45. During last August’s book sale, Cody raised $878 and 716 pounds of food, which he donated to St. Mary’s.
Elizabeth Wunsch, who coordinates volunteers at St. Mary’s, videotaped Cody’s efforts and submitted the video to a national contest sponsored by Tyson Foods and Tongal.com, a website that connects companies and causes. The video dubbed “Cody’s Heart” earned second place out of submissions from around the country. His prize arrived June 3 when Tyson delivered the 15 tons of poultry to the Phoenix-based food bank.
Cody’s mom said she was glad her son could be there to see the food delivered. “He didn’t have a concept of how much food that was,” she said. The food came at the perfect time, according to St. Mary’s spokesman Jerry Brown. He said donations drop in the summer as people go on vacations. Meanwhile, demand goes up as students are no longer fed at schools. “Hunger does not go on vacation,” Brown said. He estimates Cody’s initiative, from last year’s book drive to the contest win, helped create 40,000 meals.
So why did Cody do it? “I thought it would be fun, and I care for others,” he said. To see Cody’s video go to hunger relief.tyson.com and scroll down to “Another young superstar.”
by Jessica Duvall – Jun. 15, 2010 09:18 AM, The Arizona Republic
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