Over the summer, Middleton High School Key Club co-presidents Noah Duckett and Wyatt Ehrhardt came up with an idea that very quickly turned into a reality.

“We learned that food insecurity was a huge problem,” Ehrhardt says. “Noah and I immediately wanted to help, so we partnered with WayForward to collect and donate nonperishable food items.”

The high school seniors formed Middleton Meals Matter, a group of volunteers committed to fighting hunger and supporting our community. The teens have had huge success from their earliest efforts this summer, already bringing in two tons of food for WayForward’s pantry at a time when it most needed additional food to keep up with demand.

How did they do it? Social media savvy and people power.

Photo at top (left to right): Kayden Young, Nebil SIraj, Katie Barrett, Jaelynn Kemp, Wyatt Ehrhardt, Noah Duckett, and Ibrahim Aldashash. Not pictured: Levi Bliss, Gretchen Jones, Sophia Traun, and Grace Parker. Photo above: Claire Riedner, Grace Parker, Quinn Davis (Black Shirt), Noah Duckett (Blue Shirt), Wyatt Ehrhardt (Pink shirt), and Ibrahim Aldashash.

For its first food drive benefiting WayForward, the group filled volunteer shifts for a day-long event at Metro Market brought in 1,700 pounds of donated food and nearly $1,000 in cash donations for WayForward. Duckett says he was blown away by the compassion of people in Middleton.

“We’re firsthand making the change,” Duckett says. “It’s great to donate, but if you get to see the change that you’re making, it’s even better.”

One month later, the teens held a second drive at Metro Market that brought in 2,400 pounds of food and $1,400 in cash donations. Duckett said one shopper invited him along inside the store and invited him to fill a cart with whatever he wanted for the drive.

“This one was even more special, because we didn’t know if the first one would be more successful and more of a fluke,” says senior Grace Parker, one of the group’s board members. “It was great to see all the people still being receptive to us and participating. A lot of people were really happy to see younger people in the community being active in something like this. Often it’s your parents or your grandparents.”

Now the group feels momentum, driven by its efforts on TikTok and word of mouth. “Everyone who’s volunteered said they’d love to volunteer again,” says Duckett, a feat with most volunteers being busy Key Club members and varsity athletes at Middleton High School.

The group has another drive scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, at Metro Market, right before the end of Hunger Action Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about hunger in America and inspire action.

“This effort shows our community that anyone of any age can make a difference in their community,” Ehrhardt says. “I also think that we motivate the community to donate because they see how we as young people recognize the need to support our community.”