Eleana Manjarrez sought to bring some hope to the Newmarket Food Pantry by gathering cereal boxes throughout the summer.
Working at her namesake store at the Newmarket Farmers' Market, the 18-year-old gathered 225 boxes, enough to fill two vehicles to deliver to the pantry this week.
Manjarrez said she wanted to ensure families in the community could get a healthy breakfast.
“I feel happy and proud,” she said. “I like to help.”
Manjarrez, who has autism, has volunteered and raised funds for the food bank for five years, alongside her family. They help out every week and run regular campaigns to help get whatever the pantry needs.
Her mother, Monica Manjarrez, said Eleana started fundraising at a store set up at her school in Grade 4 and has carried on a tradition since, with food being important to her. They set up Eleana’s Bazaar at their farmers’ market stand for her to continue selling her baked goods, funding causes she cares about, and learning to manage money.
“We want to make sure she knows the money concept, how she can manage it, how she can run her own business,” she said. “Our goal is, in the future, she will have a store where she can bake what she likes, and she can have many of the things she likes, like the arts and crafts she likes to sell.”
The donation was well-appreciated. Pantry food and building co-ordinator Mary MacDonald said cereal boxes are in their top five needed items right now and demand is high for their services amidst the pandemic.
“Eleana does so much hard work for us,” McDonald said. “It’s been amazing because they are always so focused on what we actually need.”
The family plans to continue collecting cereal boxes out of their farmers' market stand until October.
Monica Manjarrez said she is proud of her daughter’s efforts.
“She has a really big heart. Especially the fact that she can recognize, even if she has a different way to see the world, she can still be part of the community. She can get involved,” Manjarrez said.
The young fundraiser expressed appreciation for all the people willing to donate to support her efforts.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me and the food pantry,” Eleana Manjarrez said on her Facebook page.
