Thanks to a generous grant of $10,000 provided by the Red Nose Day Fund and Feeding America, Hoosier children in central and southeast Indiana will be provided with food through Gleaners BackSacks program. The grant will provide critical sustaining support to the 1 in 6 food insecure children in our service area. Learn more about the BackSacks program here.

We took a moment to speak to staff members about how this food has impacted their school and their students. Here is what they had to say.

Stephen Decatur Elementary School
The BackSacks program has been a blessing at our school. Students who otherwise would wonder or worry about food over the weekend are much more relaxed and reassured that there are people and programs out there to help. Students constantly see me in the hallway and thank me for their bag each week and tell me how much they love a particular item or two. Parents are thankful that their children are being cared for both while at school and on the weekends. Overall it is an amazing program that serves a very under-identified population.

New Palestine Elementary School
After coming back from Thanksgiving break, one student said to me, “Thanks for all the snacks you sent home over break. My mom said thanks too!”

Washington Woods Elementary School
Although we are a Hamilton County school we have a large percentage of our students on free and reduced lunch. We are thankful to receive our allotment of BackSacks and be able to give some of our neediest students their bags for the weekend. Bags are now given out Friday mornings so the students know as the day passes they have food already and can focus on school instead of worrying if they will have anything once school ends for the weekend. I used to give the bags out at the end of the day and several students made comments about wondering if I was going to come. Now they know first thing Friday morning and aren’t worrying or thinking about the lack of food at home.