Most children like to get cash handed to them unexpectedly and when that happened in the first-grade classrooms at South End Elementary School, excited chatter filled the rooms.

However, just as enthusiastically, the youngsters were soon giving it back by placing it into a big soup pot held by visitor Victoria Triano. A member of the organization’s board of directors, she told them about Bread for Life, Southington’s food program for people.

It was all part of the storytelling session several months ago at which Triano read the traditional tale, “Stone Soup,” where people add ingredients one at a time to water and together, a delicious soup is created.

The first-grade teachers — Ellen Bellinger, Marcy Bonola and Annmarie Gowdy — had given their students $1 in preparation for the lesson before the “mystery reader” arrived.

The children gained much from the lesson, the teachers said. Not only did they hear a wonderful story but they learned there are people in their town who do not eat regularly because they cannot afford groceries.

Several weeks ago, the first-graders were assembled in the lobby of the school where they met Eldon Hafford, executive director of Bread for Life, and greeted Triano.

Hafford thanked the youngsters for their generosity and told them about the program, which provides hot weekday lunches, bagged meals to take home, and regular deliveries to the residents of senior housing. The program also works in conjunction with Southington Community Services to offer a food bank.

“In Southington, your dollar is making a difference,” he said to the children.

Fifth-graders and staff at South End School were also active in supporting Bread for Life during March. Food goods had been collected as admission to a staff-student basketball game. Four fifth-graders presented numerous cartons for food to Hafford when he came to thank the first-graders.