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The Backpack Program |
The Backpack Program is a collaboration between the Merrimack Valley School District (MVSD), The Friends Program Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Friends of Forgotten Children (FOFC) and the Merrimack Valley community. Each partner brings their own expertise into the process of helping to alleviate childhood hunger in our own backyard.
You are probably aware that millions of children nationwide live with hunger insecurity, but did you know that 43% of the students right here in your community are affected? While most students from low-income families can count on regular meals through the school district’s free and reduced price meals program, many of these children go home on Friday afternoon and will eat little again until breakfast at school on Monday morning. This lack of nourishment affects their performance in school. Finding enough food to eat should not be a weekend assignment.
To identify and meet the needs of these food insecure children, MVSD, in partnership with RSVP and FOFC, launched a Backpack Program at Penacook Elementary School in 2017. As a member of the Merrimack Valley community, you have the opportunity to become a Backpack Program Sponsor and help a child who could be a neighbor, a friend of your child or grandchild, or a patron of your business.
Last year, 30 children were identified in the Penacook Elementary School by the school administration and had parental permission to participate in this important program. Each Friday, the children are provided with enough healthy and nutritious food items for seven weekend meals. With input from Chris Michael, MVSD Food Service Director, and Sue Small Taggart, FOFC Director, we are able to purchase the bulk of the needed food items at a greatly reduced cost through our food purchasing connections. Even with this purchasing power, we still need $900 per month to help feed these children. At the end of each school year, the Program will be re-evaluated with the goal of expanding to help more food insecure children in District schools in each fall.
Your financial contribution is just one way that you can support The Backpack Program. Please contact us today if, in addition to your tax-deductible donation, you want to learn how you can give back through other ways and reduce childhood hunger.
You are probably aware that millions of children nationwide live with hunger insecurity, but did you know that 43% of the students right here in your community are affected? While most students from low-income families can count on regular meals through the school district’s free and reduced price meals program, many of these children go home on Friday afternoon and will eat little again until breakfast at school on Monday morning. This lack of nourishment affects their performance in school. Finding enough food to eat should not be a weekend assignment.
To identify and meet the needs of these food insecure children, MVSD, in partnership with RSVP and FOFC, launched a Backpack Program at Penacook Elementary School in 2017. As a member of the Merrimack Valley community, you have the opportunity to become a Backpack Program Sponsor and help a child who could be a neighbor, a friend of your child or grandchild, or a patron of your business.
Last year, 30 children were identified in the Penacook Elementary School by the school administration and had parental permission to participate in this important program. Each Friday, the children are provided with enough healthy and nutritious food items for seven weekend meals. With input from Chris Michael, MVSD Food Service Director, and Sue Small Taggart, FOFC Director, we are able to purchase the bulk of the needed food items at a greatly reduced cost through our food purchasing connections. Even with this purchasing power, we still need $900 per month to help feed these children. At the end of each school year, the Program will be re-evaluated with the goal of expanding to help more food insecure children in District schools in each fall.
Your financial contribution is just one way that you can support The Backpack Program. Please contact us today if, in addition to your tax-deductible donation, you want to learn how you can give back through other ways and reduce childhood hunger.
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To make a donation specifically for The Backpack Program, please use this PayPal button:
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For more information about donating time, resources or funds, please see the attached letter and donation form:
| mvsdpbp_letter_-_double-sided_04-2017_signed.pdf |
| mvsdpbp_donation_form_04-2017.pdf |