Big leaguer Affeldt, school kids, aiming to shut out hunger

MIddle school kids Generation Alive project

MEAD, Wash. -

Northwest Christian alum and San Francisco Giants pitcher Jeremy Affeldt is hoping to shut out hunger this week. His foundation made 10,000 meals for 2nd Harvest Food Bank and local seventh graders are doing the work.

At Northwood Middle School the lesson of the day was giving. More than 300 seventh graders gave their time and energy to make meals for 2nd Harvest.

"We don't go chapter by chapter anymore, we start with what's the problem, problem is hunger. So we look at photosynthesis, we look at energy we look at plant cells," science teacher Dave Gamon said.

The students also learn how they can deal with the problem with their own two hands, and that's where Generation Alive comes in. It's a foundation started by Spokane native and big league pitcher Jeremy Affeldt. It teaches young people about issues like poverty and then Affeldt encourages them to do something about it.

"There's a lot of kids that can't dream because they can't eat or stuck in slavery or situations that, because of poverty, they can't live out those dreams he has been able to, so he wants to empower this generation of students to understand what it's like and help them be catalysts and make a difference in this world," Darrin Doty with Generation Alive said.

The students mixed rice, soy, vitamins and vegetables and created meals to feed 10,000 people in our area.

"I think it's awesome because I like doing community service." Seventh grader Riley Michels said.

"I'm annoyed by how much people there are hungry and I think it's great and really awesome we're doing something like this," seventh grader Aislin Gamon said.

What these students at Northwood are learning is reaching out of the classroom and into the community.