At Creekside Elementary School in Poway, California, 4th and 5th-grade students turned the Hunger Action Heroes Unite! curriculum into real-world impact. What began as classroom lessons on hunger and food waste became a school-wide movement of compassion and teamwork. Through food drives, volunteer shifts, and creative fundraising, Creekside’s young heroes provided more than 9,100 meals and rescued 10,000 pounds of food, proving that when students lead with kindness, learning can truly change lives.
School: Creekside Elementary School
Grades: 4th and 5th
District: Poway Unified School District
City/State: Poway, CA
Hear first-hand Student & Teacher Testimonials
How It Started
Creekside Elementary School had the unique opportunity to be the first school to pilot the Hunger Action Heroes Unite! comic book and curriculum.
Over several weeks, 4th and 5th-graders dove into the story of Hunger Halter, Demeter, and their Council of Heroes. Through engaging lessons that combined literacy, science, social-emotional learning, and creative problem-solving, students learned about the effects of hunger and food waste, and most importantly, how they could make a difference.
By the time they reached the final activity, “Become a Hunger Action Hero,” the students were not only inspired, they were ready to take action.
Creekside Elementary students in Mrs. Schulman's 4th-grade class are reading and discussing Hunger Action Heroes Unite! comic book
Becoming Hunger Action Heroes
The classroom lessons quickly turned into real-world missions. Working in teams, Creekside students brainstormed ways to fight hunger in their community. What began as a class project soon spread throughout the school.
Over the course of five months, Creekside’s young heroes launched three powerful initiatives that made a measurable impact:
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A Food Drive for Los Angeles Wildfire Relief
When wildfires broke out in Los Angeles, the students organized a school-wide food drive to support families who had lost their homes. They collected 807 pounds of food that went directly to those affected. -
A Volunteer Shift at Feeding San Diego
Students volunteered for a two-hour shift at Feeding San Diego, where they sorted and packed 8,000 pounds of apples that were later distributed to families across San Diego County. -
A Lemonade and Snack Stand for Good
Wanting to do even more, the students organized a lemonade and snack stand to raise funds for hunger relief. Working together as a team, they raised $405.25. Their efforts inspired Garcia Hong Law to generously match their donation, and a student’s aunt contributed an additional $100, bringing the total to $910.50, enough to help provide 1,800 meals for people in need.
Each project was student-led from start to finish, proving that when kids are empowered, they have the power to change the world.
Impact and Inspiration
By the end of their projects, Creekside Elementary’s Hunger Action Heroes had:
- Helped provide more than 9,100 meals for people facing hunger
- Rescued 10,000 pounds of surplus food from going to waste
- Inspired their community to think differently about hunger and sustainability
Their success demonstrated the true power of the Hunger Action Heroes Unite! Curriculum. When students connect learning to real-world issues, they not only understand the problem, but they also help solve it.
“Watching our students take what they learned and turn it into real impact was incredible,” said one teacher. “They showed compassion, leadership, and creativity at every step.”
Creekside’s example has since inspired other schools to bring the Hunger Action Heroes Unite! program to their classrooms. What started as a pilot has become a movement, proving that small acts of kindness can spark lasting change.
Hero Lessons:
- Start with learning: Knowledge can inspire real-world action.
- Work together: Teamwork makes every goal achievable.
- Be creative: Big ideas can start small—and grow through collaboration.
- Lead with kindness: Every act of giving makes a difference.
