ChristyB in TN Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I just attended a meeting where I met with a coalition of people working with different agencies in my community. They meet to share ideas, resources and opportunities. I am new, I am creating social media and a web site to connect them, the needs of children in my community, and the people who will help them. I am humbled. The backpack program identifies hungry kids in schools and sends food home with them in backpacks so they can eat dinner when they get home. A local church is doing a food drive for this program this month. Who knew? I read the local paper and am active in the community and I had no freaking idea! Now that I know about it....EVERYONE else is going to know, too. I did some calling around. I live 4 blocks from an elementary school where there are 45 of these kids. :crying: I had no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Yes, I've heard of it. I think it's terribly sad that in one of the richest nations in the world, we have kids who go hungry on a regular basis. DH and I watch Chopped on the Food Network. On one episode, they had lunch ladies come in and compete. One of them talked about doing the backpack program. She also said she was sure to make things heavy in protein on Mondays because she would have kids come through that hadn't eaten all weekend :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Yes, unfortunately. Working against food insecurity is our family's charitable focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 In our area, the backpacks are only used on the weekends, when the kids don't have that breakfast/lunch safety net that they have during the week. It always has bread and peanut butter so the kids can fix their own food if they need to. Other things, too, but always peanut butter and bread. We live in a town of about 20,000- it's not just large cities with this problem, which surprises some people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAPeachie Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Yes. Our radio station really champions that cause. So sad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 There's a church in my small town that does this too. I only know about it because our church's ladies' group did a donation drive for them last fall. They somehow assigned different churches to different needs - one gave bags, some gave different types of food, then the one that runs it put everything together & worked with the schools to distribute them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 It is a great program and not talked about enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Our 4H group did some of these for "couch surfing" teens......teens that for various reasons weren't living at home but rather staying with various friends, etc. We collected meal in one/heat and eat type things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristyB in TN Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Wow, okay, I will watch Chopped. I feel so humbled. Both by the families in need and the people working to help. There were so many things discussed today and I am going to process... I can tell you that the backpack program will ave more than it can use from now on. That I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Yes, we have this program at my school. We do an ongoing internal school food drive for it, and our local churches help with it at the elementary school level. Test scores have gone up since we started this program at our school. Children who know from where their next meal is coming can relax and learn better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristyB in TN Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 (edited) Yes, we have this program at my school. We do an ongoing internal school food drive for it, and our local churches help with it at the elementary school level. Test scores have gone up since we started this program at our school. Children who know from where their next meal is coming can relax and learn better. That is my hope. The program I have started is to work to remove all obstacle for kids so they can grow, thrive and learn and succeed. I am going to connect the programs with the people who can help. I want to have the best educated kids in the world right here in my town. I think we start with feeding them, making sure their shoes fit, and they have resources. I live around a lot of fantastic people, I know if they just know the needs they will meet them. Edited September 12, 2012 by Mad Charity Clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooRho Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 yes I have heard of it. one church I'm fammilar with also did backpacks during the summer with pb and jelly and bread and drinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Our church started a program several years ago for our community. Now, many churches are involved, each with assigned schools. The children get a bag of food every Friday to take home for the weekend. They are chosen by the school counselors, and given the food discretely before they leave school on Friday. They can also pick up bags on Saturdays at a local soup kitchen during the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugalmama Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Our food bank coordinates this for our area. They also do after school cafes where kids can get a good sized snack / small dinner and homework help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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