Patience is a virtue, but James Flaig did not want to wait. Not when he knew he and his friends had it in them to make a real difference in the lives of others.
The 16-year-old Coral Springs resident, who is a student at American Heritage School in Plantation, is the inspiration behind Can-Teens, an organization that is dedicated to providing hunger relief by supporting food banks in America. Over the last few months, Can-Teen members have assisted food banks in organizing pantries and making food boxes. They also gathered donations through food drives and bake sales, and spent time helping food banks in the county.
“It’s not just me. Teenagers, in general, are looking for a good cause to be involved in,” said James, or Joey to his friends. “The goal of Can-Teens is to let teens know how bad the hunger problem is across America. The more you know about the situation, the more you want to help.”
Last year alone, Can-Teens collected 1,783 cans and collectively volunteered more than 600 hours to food banks in the community. “Next year, we are shooting for 5,000 cans and over 1,000 volunteer hours. I know we can do it,” Joey said.
Read more in the Coral Springs Forum on Aug. 21. Reach Arun at 954-574-5339.