Packback Food Programs for Hungry Children

[rlm304]

Before I moved to The Villages, I belonged to a great group that created backpack food parcels for hungry school kids. Reports show that a full 80% of the children who qualify for the Federal Free Lunch program have only that one meal to eat each day and effectively go without on weekends, holidays, and through the summer months. Our group took in donated "kid-friendly" foodstuffs, wrote grants and brought in cash donations to get more, and then wrapped up individual food "parcels" that were transported to the elementary school each Friday where teachers would quietly slip them inside the backpacks of the neediest kids, thereby providing them with something to eat over the weekends, yet also doing it "in private" so that each child preserved his/her dignity. It was a wonderful way to give back to the community and the kids that we helped did noticeably better in class due to their bellies being full. Right before I left we had expanded into a second area school (and had requests from still others) so I know there's a huge need.

Has anyone started a group likes this in The Villages and/or knows of someone who either has or been thinking about it? I'd love to get involved in something like that again.

[Gordon82]

Before I moved to The Villages, I belonged to a great group that created backpack food parcels for hungry school kids. Reports show that a full 80% of the children who qualify for the Federal Free Lunch program have only that one meal to eat each day and effectively go without on weekends, holidays, and through the summer months. Our group took in donated "kid-friendly" foodstuffs, wrote grants and brought in cash donations to get more, and then wrapped up individual food "parcels" that were transported to the elementary school each Friday where teachers would quietly slip them inside the backpacks of the neediest kids, thereby providing them with something to eat over the weekends, yet also doing it "in private" so that each child preserved his/her dignity. It was a wonderful way to give back to the community and the kids that we helped did noticeably better in class due to their bellies being full. Right before I left we had expanded into a second area school (and had requests from still others) so I know there's a huge need.

Has anyone started a group likes this in The Villages and/or knows of someone who either has or been thinking about it? I'd love to get involved in something like that again.

The Wildwood Soup Kitchen has a "snack pack" program that does this. Go to wildwoodsoupkitchen.org and use the contact information there to call or email and find out more details. Some people donate to the Soup Kitchen and direct their donation to that specific area.

[pauld315]

Before I moved to The Villages, I belonged to a great group that created backpack food parcels for hungry school kids. Reports show that a full 80% of the children who qualify for the Federal Free Lunch program have only that one meal to eat each day and effectively go without on weekends, holidays, and through the summer months.

I don't know where you moved from but here in NC the Federal Free Lunch Program also covers breakfast everyday at school. With that said, no kid should go hungry so a program you describe is wonderful

[graciegirl]

Our village has done this. We have had the guidance counselor at the public elementary school come to speak to us and tell us just how much it helps to have the backpack program and the tutoring too that villagers do. Many children are homeless who go there.