Weekly Roundup: November 12, 2026
November 12, 2026
Fighting local hunger and bringing cheer to hospitalized children—see how our Benjamin Project students are putting generosity into action! In this edition, a Minnesota student council volunteers and donates to a regional food relief organization, a Colorado student crafts gift baskets for young patients at the hospital that saved his life, and a Nevada student joins friends to buy holiday gifts for a child in need. Closing out the week, a Florida student reflects on exploring the Smithsonian and discovering American history on her trip to Washington, D.C.
Eila - Minnesota
Our student council decided to use our $100 to donate to Second Harvest Heartland! Second Harvest is a leading hunger relief organization based in the Minnesota area. They gather volunteers to help sort foods like potatoes, apples, sealed snacks, pasta, and cereal. Afterwards, they send it to food shelves and to people in need. We had a very positive experience when we got to volunteer there!
Hunter - Colorado
I bought gifts and snacks and made them into gift baskets for children in the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. I chose this because that hospital did a lot for me and they saved my life so I wanted to help them out with keeping kids happy.
Max - Nevada
This experience has really opened my eyes to the struggles of people around me. Not just physically but mentally. I learned the struggle parents and families have around the holidays. This winter two of my friends and I combined our Benjamin dollars to buy for a little kid whose parents could not afford gifts. We got all the information about him like his favorite toy and what he wanted to be when he grows up. This has meant so much to me and taught me the problems people have everyday. Overall I loved this experience and would definitely recommend it to people who want to help the community.
Kinsley - Florida
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to go to our country’s capital. I appreciate the wonderful scholarship that you awarded me and I am so glad that my school allowed safety patrols such as myself to take this trip! My favorite part of visiting Washington D.C. was going to the Smithsonian Zoo and the Smithsonian Natural Museum. Our tour guide made the trip so fun. I learned so much from him and he even taught us a funny dance on the bus that I still remember. Additionally, learning about America's history was very inspiring. I will never forget this educational and fun trip that you gave me the opportunity to experience.
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