DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — The distribution of Bull City Foodraiser is an all-hands effort.

Carrington Middle School students formed an assembly line from a U-Haul truck to the A2 classroom. They handed out hundreds of bags full of goods to students who rely on the school to provide them with their first two meals of the day.

“We have populations of children and families who need this type of support,” Debra Cheek said. “This is a Title I school, which means a certain percentage of our students receive free or reduced-price lunch, even though our entire system is free this year.”

For 10 years, Turquoise Lejeune Parker, media coordinator at Lakewood Elementary School, has been serving the community and organizing the food drive. She made it her mission to make sure Durham Public Schools students had food for the holidays.

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“Inside you can see a box of Cheerios, bread, mashed potatoes, baked beans and so much more,” Parker said. “If a family is temporarily displaced to a hotel or doesn’t have access to a kitchen, all of these items can be used regardless of their living situation, which is intentional.”

She spent the entire year collecting donations to feed nearly 5,000 students in 16 schools. Parker is already collecting donations to send kids home with food for spring break.

“It’s helpful. It goes a long way. It goes so long, especially around the holidays when families are trying to make it happen with gifts and something on the table,” she said.