The Green Team and the Community Service Club at Stoneleigh-Burnham School have joined forces to help local families in need of food. The clubs have begun a returnable bottle initiative to raise money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, a charitable organization that works to reduce hunger and increase food security. Club members Claire Lane of Greenfield, MA and Charlotte Minsky of Amherst, MA said bins have been placed around the school to collect bottles that are eligible for redemption under the bottle bill, including all carbonated beverages. Each week, club members will collect the bottles, redeem them for cash at a local grocery story and donate all of the money raised to the Food Bank of Western Mass. Charlotte and Claire said the clubs decided to launch this project in mid-winter, after the holidays, because it is a time of year when many charitable organizations see a drop in donations. In addition, it is a time of year when many people struggle to make ends meet. In Franklin County, the county where Stoneleigh-Burnham School is located, food insecurity is a major issue, with 1 in 5 children going to bed hungry. The students also noted that the project is good for the environment because the bottles that are redeemed for cash are eventually recycled, keeping them out of landfills. All members of the school community – students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to bring their returnable bottles to support this good cause.