Highland Elementary Imagination Destination students could have chosen anything for a challenge in their after-school program, but in the end they decided a service-learning project to help those in need.
A few times a year, these students and some of their classmates can be found serving at LIFT-UP’s Extended Table as they help feed those in the community who could benefit from a free meal.
Highland Elementary Imagination Destination student Hayden Wheeler said they wanted to help out for their project and got in contact with LIFT-UP. They shadowed another volunteer group for their first, and they have been serving ever since.
“The holidays is when you give,” Valerie Rivas said. “Student council would even start asking us when we would be serving again.”
LIFT-UP Executive Director Angela Mills said over 2,000 meals have been served at the Rifle location in 2018, every Tuesday and Thursday at the United Methodist Presbyterian Church.
“Extended is a wonderful opportunity to not only provide meals to people in need but also provides much needed social interaction for people,” Mills said.
Volunteers will prepare and serve the meals to members of the community 104 times a year. Mills said the Rifle location averages about 50 volunteers a month.