Teen Siblings Hold Bergen Co. Food Drive, Chess Event To Fight Hunger

GLEN ROCK, NJ — Two local siblings were awarded a grant that will support them in leading a community service project in Glen Rock to fight childhood hunger.

Justin and Jessica Lee were two of 100 young leaders across the country who were awarded a Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation grant to organize projects to help end childhood hunger, a release said.

Specifically, the Lees are holding a food and toiletry drive through May 12 at the International Chess Academy on Rock Road, and will donate the items collected to a pantry. Jessica Lee is also holding an all-girls chess tournament on April 29 at the center, in association with the grant.

"ICA is the perfect venue to hold (this drive and event)," Justin Lee said. "We hope that many other ICA students will support our cause and help our fight against hunger in New Jersey."

Both Justin and Jessica Lee are "avid chess players" and have been part of ICA for more than 10 years. They are passionate about fighting hunger in New Jersey, which, the release said, has "tremendous numbers of people who are hungry."

In a "perfect melding" of her two passions," Jessica Lee is linking the food drive with her chess tournament, the release said.

She is holding the tournament in order to “not only promote chess in girls/women which can bring so many benefits, but also to highlight the needs of at-risk girls/women.”

All proceeds from the tournament will be donated to Jersey Battered Women's Services — a private, nonprofit agency that provides safety, support and solutions to victims of abuse, primarily in Morris County.

Participants are encouraged to donate a minimum of five food or toiletry items, and the top three donors will be awarded a small prize at the end of the tournament. Prizes will also be awarded to the top five donors in the food drive.

The Lee siblings join young leaders and volunteers around the world as part of Global Youth Service Day, April 28-30, and throughout Youth Service Month (April 14 through May 14).

"By investing in (the Lees') efforts on GYSD, we hope to ignite the passion in other young people to join the fight against child hunger," Sodexo Foundation Executive Director Roxanne Moore said. "Helping and supporting these youth grantees — ordinary people that make themselves extraordinary — brings the foundation closer to its objective of working toward zero hunger in the U.S."

The chess tournament is open to the first 30 girls who sign up. Students may sign up at ICANJ.net under the tournament tab.