Going from door to door to more than 50 local businesses, Coppell High School senior and Coppell 1 Million Meals founder Luke Albright and fellow board members hoped to attain a sponsorship for their organization.

Their determination proved to be fruitful as 17 corporations sponsored the organization and contributed about $10,600 toward the fundraiser. 

Coppell 1 Million Meals is a student-run organization that partners with the non-profit organization, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). Every year, Coppell 1 Million Meals plans on raising more than $24,000 to host a local pack, in which students help pack 100,000 meals at CHS.

“It was pretty incredible to see how the FMSC took ahold of Luke and became his passion,” Julie Albright, Luke’s mother, said. “Every parent hopes their child finds a passion or purpose, and this has really become one for Luke.”

On Aug. 24, during the organization’s first fundraiser of the year, Coppell 1 Million Meals packed 101,088 meals.

Luke previously volunteered for FMSC multiple times through the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL). What attracted Albright to FMSC seeing the number of lives he impacts by helping pack the meals.

“It’s really cool to see the stories of the children and the lives that are changed through the meals you pack,” Luke said. 

After noticing a number of private schools hosting fundraisers for FMSC, Albright wanted to bring FMSC to Coppell.

“I knew the community would get behind it and I knew the administration and everyone at CISD would love this event,” Luke said. “There would be so many people willing to help us along the way.”

After corporate sponsorships, individual donations and T-shirt sales, Coppell 1 Million Meals has raised  more than $25,000 – exceeding its goal. One hundred percent of the donations went to FMSC to help pack meals. The extra money collected this year will be used to help fund next year’s local pack.

“The things kids do at CHS are so incredible; what I witnessed here, it just took it to the next level,” Mrs. Albright said. “Luke was so fortunate to have a strong team around him to help balance the workload – especially the logistics of the event because it was so large.” 

Current board members include CHS seniors Roma Mazumdar, Christian Liu, Nicholas Pranske (who is The Sidekick’s executive copy and design editor), Kate Harris, Vitto Zanelli, Sebastien Royer and Justin Kline as well as sophomore James Stevens. 

Stevens is set to take over the organization next year and, as of right now, the new board members will consist of volunteers who shadowed the fundraiser earlier this year. 

“When I had the idea of creating a repeating event, I knew I needed to find a person to pass it down to,” Albright said. “I knew I needed someone I could rely on during this first year process, and I knew James would be perfect for the job.”

Stevens, like Albright, volunteered at an FMSC event through YMSL, which he joined during his freshman year. 

“I’m really excited for the upcoming year,” Stevens said. “Our main goal is to make a million meals over the course of 10 years, and if we could increase that the following years, it would be amazing.”

Coppell 1 Million Meals is in the process of forming a club; decisions for board members are subject to change. If approved, the club will open its membership to any high school student.

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