Students, staff, and families at Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) are organizing an event to support children in Haiti amid the country’s ongoing crisis. On February 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., members of the Northwest Middle School community will gather in the school’s gymnasium to pack 20,000 meals for children attending nearly 500 schools and orphanages in Haiti. The initiative is funded by a $7,000 fundraising campaign led by students at Northwest.
“This project gives our students a real chance to see how caring, teamwork, and action can change lives,” said Adriana Berry, assistant principal at Northwest Middle School. “They’re learning that even 35 cents can make a meal, and that 20,000 meals start with the effort of each person in this room.”
The meal-packing event is part of the school’s International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. This program encourages service as action and global engagement. Students have been studying issues related to global food scarcity and have involved their families and community in fundraising efforts.
Berry explained that students understand the seriousness of hunger in Haiti. She noted that more than half of Haiti’s population lives below the poverty line and almost six million people may face acute hunger by mid-year.
“A key trait of a community is the ability to show compassion and help others when provided the opportunity,” Berry said. “Students have an intercultural understanding of the threats facing children in a country experiencing a humanitarian crisis and of their ability to provide meals to help meet one of the needs.”
Berry was inspired after traveling last summer to the Dominican Republic with Mission of Hope, where she worked on housing projects and educational activities. There she witnessed some of the challenges faced by children.
“Packing meals is more than filling boxes—it’s building empathy, leadership, and a sense of responsibility.” Berry said, “Through this experience, students learn the power of teamwork, the importance of helping others, and how small actions can have a big impact around the world.”
Indianapolis Public Schools serves over 30,000 students through its network across central Indianapolis according to its official website. The district emphasizes racial equity as a core strategic priority while providing tailored education designed for academic excellence in a dynamic setting. Aleesia Johnson currently serves as superintendent of IPS.
