KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The memory of Reat Underwood, the 14-year-old who was killed in April in the parking lot of the Jewish Community Center, lives on in the spirit of giving.
His Boy Scout troop has collected four and a half tons of food over the past few months to donate to Operation Breakthrough.
FOX 4 was told Reat Underwood and his mother, were volunteers here at Operation Breakthrough.
Monday Underwood’s Boy Scout troop delivered 1,400 pounds of food and personal hygiene to the center to help families in need.
Dave Tiente, Underwood’s Eagle Scout leader, says donating food to Operation Breakthrough’s food pantry was Underwood’s project.
“This spring when he was killed we got together with the troop then youth leaders and they decided to do more than Reat had planned. We put together three phases. This is the third phase,” said Tiente.
Tiente says troop 92 has donated four and a half tons of goods to help Operation Breakthrough to help families in need.
“We had kids come after a weekend who have had nothing to eat all weekend. We have mothers that live in cars. We had a mom live at a bus stop for a week,” said Sister Berta at Operation Breakthrough.
Operation breakthrough says last month 180 families used the food pantry.
Sosha Bronston, who works at Bartle Hall, used the food pantry in October. And it was a lifesaver.
“It was a plus and stress reliever it was something I didn’t have to worry what am I going to have to go without,” said Bronston.
Bronston says the troops donated detergent and other hygiene items that she cannot buy with food stamps.
Operation Breakthrough says it’s always in need of new and used goods for children and their families.
For a list of items the center is in need of CLICK HERE.
