COEUR d’ALENE — The annual Families Feeding Families February Food Drive fared favorably with a little help from Ramsey Magnet School of Science students.

Kroc Center community outreach coordinator Leslie Johnson reported generous donors more than doubled the 100 boxes organizers hoped to fill. The 2022 drive filled 250 boxes that impacted 200 people.

"It was amazing," Johnson said Monday. "It was quite impressive."

The Kroc Center originally planned for its members to fulfill the Families Feeding Families campaign, but when one member mentioned the drive to Ramsey, the large school was eager to help.

"Ramsey called me and said, 'Can we participate?'" Johnson said. "Their kids did a competition between classrooms."

The school was responsible for filling about 60 boxes.

Children from the Kroc's Play Care also contributed.

"They did an art piece," Johnson said. "They colored these hearts and they included their names and ages. That was the first thing people saw when they opened the boxes."

This year's Families Feeding Families campaign focused on families and individuals experiencing homelessness. The list of items it collected included thick socks for those living out in the elements, as well as high-protein items that don't require appliances to keep or prepare.

"It was impactful to me because people took the time to shop for those items, which are not always easy to find," Johnson said. "They wanted to take the time to help a person who didn’t have anything, didn't have any food, didn’t have any shelter."

She said 50 of the boxes were pantry staples that went to fill the shelves of St. Vincent de Paul's Father Bill's Kitchen.

"We have so many new people in our community who really aren’t aware of what the issues are," Johnson said. "They were willing and open to go, 'This is an issue? I’m going to be a little inconvenienced to go out and help.'

"They wanted to take the time to impact even just one person," she said. "That’s what made the difference for me."

Ramsey Principal Crystal Silvers said her school's motto is, "Big school, bigger heart."

"We work hard to exhibit that in all we do," Silvers said. "Our student council plans different community events throughout the year, and this is a tradition they have done for years. I feel honored to work at Ramsey where we have supportive parents, staff and students who come together to make our community a better place!"