Visiting High School Students Help Fight Hunger

In Santa Clara County 1 in 4 people are at risk of experiencing hunger this year. Last month alone, Second Harvest Food Bank provided assistance to 212,000 people, many of whom were children. Their Family Harvest Program, which serves families with children, grew by 30% this past year. Because Hunger is a global concern, high school seniors who recently visited Applied Materials from Taiwan took time to visit Second Harvest and volunteer for half a day.

During the Annual “Young Talent Program” 10 students accompanied by four representatives from Applied Materials Taiwan volunteered for several hours at the food bank. While there, the group was able to sort and bag nearly 3,000 pounds of peaches and 2,000 pounds of carrots. The fresh fruits and vegetables are a crucial element of Second Harvest’s mission to provide nutritious, balanced foods to the people it serves. The students enjoyed the volunteer work and as one of them put it, “giving back is most rewarding;” they also enjoyed the sense of accomplishment by working together a team.

Launched in 2003 the Taiwan Young Talent Program sponsored by Applied Materials offers a unique experience to a small group of talented youth. After participating in a multi-day Leadership Camp, 10 students were selected from among hundreds of applicants based on their preference in science and technology, team building and communication skills for a week long stay in Silicon Valley to enrich their global view of technology, education and diverse cultures.

This year, Applied Materials partnered with the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families (TFCF) to make the Young Talent Program available to a diverse audience. TFCF is a non-governmental organization dedicated to improving the conditions of under-served children and their families in Taiwan. Two students from TFCF outperformed their peers in the Leadership Camp and won their place in the trip to Silicon Valley.

During the group’s visit the students toured the Applied Materials Maydan Technology Center, Display manufacturing, interacted with employees, and visited Stanford University, UC Berkeley and other unique points of interest including the Tech Museum of Innovation and the Intel Museum.