February 27, 2013

PHOENIXVILLE, PA –Once again, the students of the Renaissance Academy Charter School are competing in Shire’s Great Food Fight to battle hunger in the Delaware Valley.  The students will be competing against other area schools by collecting canned food, dry goods, and monetary donations to help families in need.

Shire Pharmaceuticals, who sponsors the competition, will award $10,000 to the school that raises the most food as measured in pounds, $5,000 for the school that collects the most food in pounds per student and $1,000 each to the school from the five Southeastern Pennsylvania counties that collects the most food in pounds.  In 2012, Renaissance Academy won the bronze award for collecting over 10,000 pounds of food, the most food collected in Chester County.

Last Thursday, February 21st, 14 Senior Academy Council students from Renaissance attended the Great Food Fight kick-off rally at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA.  Renaissance Academy senior, Logan Cuthbert said, “So often, teenagers are characterized as being apathetic.  It was great to see so many teenagers willing to pitch in to make a change in their community.”

Jamie Lynch, Senior Academy Council Advisor said that, “It was exciting to see so many schools along with Renaissance, who were enthusiastic, not only about the competition, but to get involved with helping others in need."

The Great Food fight benefits Philabudance, an organization which works toward reducing hunger and food insecurity in the Delaware Valley by providing food access to people in need.  Philabundance serves approximately 65,000 people per week.  The 21 schools who participated in the 2012 Great Food Fight collected 71 tons of food over the two-week competition.  It was one of the most successful efforts ever to raise food in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Individuals, companies, or organizations who would like to contribute to this worthy cause can drop off their donation at Renaissance Academy 40 Pine Crest Street, Phoenixville, PA.  New to the competition this year is a Virtual Food Drive option, where donors can contribute online.  To learn more about how to help Renaissance Academy feed area families, please visit www.rak12.org and click on the Shire’s Great Food Fight icon.

Established in 1999, Renaissance Academy is a K-12, award-winning, tuition-free, college prep charter school located in Phoenixville, PA.  Renaissance Academy was recently named as a top high school on both the US News and World Report 2012 Best High Schools list and Philadelphia Magazine’s 2012 Top 100 Philadelphia-Area Public Schools.   For more information, please visit www.rak12.org.