When Arielle “Ari” Mayberry, an eighth grader at PACT, found out her class would be collecting food for Hope 4 Youth in Anoka, she didn’t hesitate; instead, she fully committed. What began as a class challenge to bring in 100 items quickly grew into something much larger: a heartfelt mission driven by compassion, family, and personal experience.

Ari’s classroom advisor encouraged her to think big, and she did. Her mom gave her $50 to start, but Ari wanted to make a real difference. So she reached out to family, friends, church members, and even social media. Within days, she had raised $800, all of which she used to buy groceries for local homeless youth. It took several shopping trips and many hours, but Ari’s determination paid off: she collected over 1,000 food items.

For Ari, the project was personal. Her family spent time in Thailand on a mission trip when she was younger. She remembers seeing families struggle to find food, often relying on rice or the cheapest items they could access. While there, she helped build shelters, distribute toothbrushes and clothing, and saw firsthand how fragile access to necessities can be. “Sometimes life is hard,” Ari said. “My mom always taught me that people do struggle for various reasons, and we should do something that actually helps.”

With cold Minnesota winters and rising food costs, Ari wanted her donations to be practical, filling, and thoughtful. She stocked up on items that could last a while: rice, ramen cups, protein bars, granola, and affordable staples that could stretch across meals. But she also remembered something just as important: joy. She added fruit snacks, treats, and even birthday cakes. “Every kid should get to celebrate a birthday,” she said. “It’s special.”

As she and her classmates work toward the classroom’s goal, Ari hopes that the students who receive the food feel one thing above all else: relief. “I want them not to have to worry about finding food, especially during the winter,” she explained.

PACT’s food drive class competition runs until Friday, November 21, 2025, and there's still time to make a difference. Ari’s story reminds us that character isn’t just something we talk about at PACT; it’s something our students embody, one generous act at a time.

This is character in action.