Eva Chapman, a rising first grader at Spruce Creek Elementary school, wondered how students who get a free or reduced hot lunch at school would have to eat when they were at home. This spurred her into action – she and her mom started a food drive in mid-April featuring Eva’s favorite, peanut butter and jelly. Eva set a goal of 10 million jars, while her Mom was hoping to get 25 sets. Eva has collected over 1,000 jars of peanut butter and jelly. Strangers as far as Canada have donated jars to this noble cause!
The Chapmans have been advertising the drive in their facebook group Gabriella’s Light, where they promote an annual diaper drive in memory of their still born daughter.
While she hasn’t reached her overly ambitious goal, mom said Eva is thrilled with the outcome. “It’s just been such a wonderful outpouring of support,” mom Nicole Chapman said in an interview. “For whatever reason, this really just touched people and moved them. I’m very proud of her. She has a huge heart.”
Eva’s PB&J campaign has been featured on local and national news shows, and in turn, has inspired similar projects in other schools. “Other parents, other students, other schools and even other districts I’m hearing, students are following her lead and wanting to impact other students in a positive way and make sure that no kids go hungry over the summer break,” said Spruce Creek’s principal
Andrea Hall.