Local students participate in ‘Kids CAN Build’ event for hunger awareness

The first week in May, students from area middle and high schools joined BLI Alumni Association’s Kids CAN Build competition to both raise awareness of hunger and provide food and monetary donations to Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW). 

Formerly known as Canstruction of the Southern Tier, the event allowed for students to create elaborate structures made entirely of canned food with the help of local engineering and architecture mentors. The structures were then judged and awards such as “Best Meal” and “Best Use of Labels,” etc. were given. 

The Best Meal Award was presented to Union Endicott, the Structural Integrity Award went to BOCES Tech Academy 10, the Best Use of Labels Award went to Owego Apalachin, and the Overall Best Design Award went to Johnson City.

Kids CAN Build Committee Chairperson Jamie Jacobs was also surprised with a “Volunteer of the Year” award from her committee for her steady leadership during the last several years of this event’s transition.

“This initiative has always been centered around raising awareness about food insecurity and supporting local charities that feed the hungry,” said Jamie Jacobs, Kids CAN Build chair, adding, “This year, as we renamed our effort and shifted from teams of adult professionals at the Oakdale Mall to all student groups in their schools, it has a new exciting element of STEM education as well.”  

All food cans will be delivered to CHOW for distribution to local food pantries, soup kitchens and other community meal programs. Between the value of canned food plus monetary donations raised by generous sponsors, the event was able to present CHOW with $30,650.

This event’s presenting sponsor was Visions Federal Credit Union. Gold sponsors included BAE Systems, IBI Group, IBM, and Lockheed Martin. Silver sponsors included Empower Federal Credit Union, LeChase Construction, Stantec, Tioga State Bank, and Weis Markets. Supporting sponsors were Chenango Contracting, Chemung Canal Trust Company, Coughlin & Gerhart, Dataflow (in-kind), Day Automation, Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce’s BLI Alumni Association, Levene Gouldin & Thompson, NBT Bank, NBT Insurance Agency, Raymond Corporation, Riger Marketing Communications (in-kind), ServPro of Broome, Taylor Rental of Binghamton (in-kind), United Methodist Homes, and Vestal Rotary.