From an observation of noticing her friends throwing out their perfectly fine snacks everyday at lunch last year, sophomore Sari Kaufman developed a project in which uneaten food is saved and brought to local shelters that feed hungry families. With a little help from debate teacher Jesus Caro, Kaufman was able to organize a plan that helps people in need.

Kaufman named this project “The Unwasted Project,” with which students can drop their unopened, non-perishable foods into a designated box near the trash cans after lunch. These snacks are then brought to Gateway Community Outreach Center, which feeds Broward County families.

Kaufman volunteered at this food shelter over the summer, which opened her eyes to the poor conditions that many people endure and made her want to make a difference in this world.

“It’s amazing to see how much of a difference we can make with every single person [involved], especially among the people who need our help the most,” Kaufman said.

When Kaufman sparked an idea to make this project a reality, she immediately sought out the help of debate teacher, Caro who is now an adviser for the project.

“He was very happy to help in any way to people [in need],” Kaufman said.

She also ran the idea through Assistant Principal Winfred Porter who is helping to make sure the project stays within school board policies. He also is encouraging the project by trying to put the bins in a highly-visible area so that more students will be aware of this cause.

Kaufman’s goal for this project is to eventually extend it across the country. She not only wants to help out local families, but also families across the United States.

“I am going to meet with Heron Heights Elementary and eventually Park Trails Elementary,” Kaufman said. “Hopefully I can take this project to all over Broward County, then maybe expand it to the different counties in Florida and eventually across the whole U.S.”

As the creator of the project, Kaufman has started making announcements in her classes and putting up flyers around the school to get the word out. She has also emailed teachers and put posters in their mailboxes to help spread the news to other students.

If you would like to support this cause, look out for boxes near trash cans that have a green label and “The Unwasted Project” stated on them. The boxes are out Monday through Friday during both lunches and are then brought to the shelter at the end of each week throughout the school year.