Lincoln Elementary's Shoebox Snack Drive to Benefit Local Kids

Students from Lincoln Elementary School in Corona Del Mar have been busy decorating and filling shoeboxes with hearty snacks that will benefit needy kids around Orange County.

The school's annual Shoebox of Snacks Food Drive was created to provide food donations to the Share Our Selves Organization which works to help underprivileged families. Lauri Preedge, a member of the school's PTA, says the students submitted 74 shoeboxes -- which was doubled from last year's entries-- filled with prepackaged snacks including crackers, granola bars, fruit cups, pretzels, oranges, pudding, cereal, milk, juices, trail mix and more.

Preedge says the snack drive has more than one benefit.

"It instills in the students the spirit of giving and compassion for others and secondly it provides snacks for school age children in Orange County who go to school hungry," she said. "Lastly it allows the children express themselves creatively."

On Friday morning, the shoeboxes were judged on originality and creativeness by parent volunteers, teachers and staff. Fourth-grader Mason Gewouts won 1st place, fourth-grader Cole Rener was awarded 2nd place, fifth-grader Takaya Inoue won 3rd place and kindergartener Ron Preseton received an Honorable Mention.

The donated shoeboxes will be delivered today to the Share Our Selves Organization in Costa Mesa, where they will be distributed to Orange County children in need of assistance.