Sophomore Leo Garcia develops a way for Ashlanders to convert cans and bottles into funds for the Ashland Community Food Bank
By Damian Mann for Ashland.news
Ashland High School sophomore Leo Garcia drew inspiration from the green bag BottleDrop program to launch the recently unveiled “blue bag” program to provide food for the poor.
Garcia, president of the Interact Club at the high school, said his family had been part of the green bag BottleDrop program for many years when it dawned on him that he could create a way to convert the proceeds from recycled cans and bottles into food.
“I thought we could do something as a bigger purpose rather than just get the money back for bottles and cans,” he said.
Proceeds from the blue bags would go to the Ashland Community Food Bank. Locals can fill up one of the blue bags at home and take them to the BottleDrop location beside the Shop’n Kart store at 2268 Ashland St. A QR code on a sticker attached to the blue bag is scanned to open a door that allows the participant to place the bag into a receptacle.
The blue bag program at BottleDrop is specifically available for nonprofits. The green bag program is somewhat different. It allows individuals to drop off bags at BottleDrop and have the money placed into their personal account.
Organizations lend support
Garcia said he just recently rolled out his program after getting support from the Ashland Schools Foundation and the Interact Club, which is part of Rotary. The Ashland Schools Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a crucial part of Garcia’s program.
“We give all the funds raised, less a 5% fee, back to the Interact Club,” said Erica Thompson, executive director of the foundation.
The foundation offers grants and other programs that benefit schools and other educational and charitable purposes. Thompson said the foundation last year began a low-barrier option for local organizations such as the Interact Club to raise money for good causes.
“I really applaud Leo’s ambition,” Thompson said. “It’s a great project for a young person to invest his time into.”
She said the blue bag program helps encourage more recycling efforts.
Alan DeBoer lends a hand
Garcia said the idea of creating the blue bag program had been on his mind for some time, and Alan DeBoer, former Ashland mayor and state senator, helped Garcia launch the program. DeBoer recently passed out blue bags at a Rotary Club meeting and offers them at TC Chevrolet’s service desk.
Garcia said DeBoer has been very supportive of the blue bag program and for offering assistance in getting it off the ground. “He’s been really great,” Garcia said.
In the near future, he said he plans to have more options to pick up the QR code stickers at various locations around Ashland. Each bag holds about $5 to $7 worth of bottles and cans, he said.
Potential to raise thousands
Garcia said that the program could raise thousands of dollars a year and that since the overhead is low, most of the money raised would go directly to the food bank.
“There was no reason not to plan on doing this project,” Garcia said. “It’s pretty sustainable.”
The Interact Club, related to the Rotary Club, embraces efforts to offer community service. The club, which has up to 55 members, is largely self-directed, but Rotarians assist students by choosing and executing service projects each year and provide an understanding of the values of Rotary. Students participate in various Rotary projects such as an Easter Egg hunt, Ashland Reads, gift wrapping for seniors and Oregon Battle of the Books.
The Rotary Interact Committee brings pizza to the student meetings at the AHS campus and occasionally meets with the Interact Club and its officers to discuss their service projects and engagement with the Rotary Club of Ashland.
The Ashland High School Interact Club held a schoolwide mistletoe fundraiser in December 2022 for Ukraine as part of its annual international project.
Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at dmannnews@gmail.com.
