A cardboard box filled with food is set to be delivered to the Tauranga Community Foodbank and it's all thanks to the efforts of a 7-year-old boy.
Isaac Bishop has answered the newspaper's call of support in the Bay of Plenty Times 2012 Christmas Appeal. When he read about the campaign, Isaac got out his coloured pencils and took to the drawing board. "I was reading the paper with my mum and I got the idea from there. I didn't think the school would know about it so I made a poster," he told the Bay of Plenty Times.
For most of the afternoon, Isaac designed and created a large poster and took it to school where he showed his classroom teacher. It was passed on to principal Suzanne Billington and she thought it was a great idea.
"It was just wonderful to see him come up with that idea all by himself," she said. "We encourage them to take part in community events and we're really proud of him and what he's done so [the school] is going to give him all the support he needs."
His poster was photocopied and tacked up in every classroom at the school.
Students have also been given notices to take home to their parents. Food donations had begun to pour in, with a large cardboard box inside Isaac's classroom almost filled to the brim.
His mother, Jannine Bishop, said she was proud of her son's altruistic act. "We were discussing Christmas and presents... and we were talking about how lucky we were because some people don't have any food or extras at Christmas and he got a sense of appreciation for what we have and the fact some people don't have any so he decided to do something about it. He's very thoughtful and always been very thoughtful but this has taught him that Christmas is not about getting toys, but you get huge rewards by giving."
Isaac, Mrs Bishop and Ms Billington will deliver the box of food to the Tauranga Community Foodbank closer to Christmas. Mrs Billington challenged other schools to support the appeal.
