Flint, Michigan – In Genesee County, over 280 students will get backpacks filled with food throughout this academic year.
For a long time, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan has been working with the Child Welfare Society of Flint to assist young people. They’ve recently received a $15,000 grant for their program that gives out food-packed backpacks.
Nearly 60,000 area students struggle to get food
The food bank has shared that about 57,000 kids in the area often go hungry. School meals might be the only food they get in a day. To tackle this, especially over weekends when school meals aren’t available, the food bank works with over 200 schools. They give out backpacks loaded with food every Friday, so kids have something to eat on Saturday and Sunday.
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These backpacks are filled with foods that stay good for a while, are easy to make, and are things kids like to eat. This makes sure kids have enough to eat over the weekend.
The money from the grant was shared among several schools, including Barhitte Elementary, Burton Glen Academy, Randels Elementary, Dye Elementary, Haas Elementary, Atherton Elementary, and Grand Blanc Academy. Thanks to this grant, students at these schools will receive a backpack every weekend for 32 weeks.
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“The food bank is so grateful for the support from the Child Welfare Society and all our donors who join us in our mission of fighting hunger,” the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan said. “Together, with our network of hunger-relief partners, we are feeding our neighbors and making a significant impact on our community.”