Efforts to make sure school children receive the proper nutrition continue in the Culver area. Several Culver Elementary School students are getting food to take home over the weekends, when they’re not getting meals at school, thanks to volunteers from Blessings in a Backpack.
Volunteer Tracy Fox says the school is still figuring out just how many of its students are in need of the extra food, “Currently, because the beginning of the year just started and they’re still trying to kind of work out the numbers, we’re at about 35 kids a week and we expect that number to increase a little bit as the administration and the teachers get a feel for the kids most in need.” Once the school determines how many students would benefit from the help, volunteers with Blessings in a Backpack then put together the necessary number of food packages for the school to distribute each week.
As well as monetary and food donations, Fox says the organization also relies on volunteers to help pack the food. “We pack the bags once a month, and actually this year, we’re really lucky to be able to utilize Elkay Wood Products,” she says. “We generally pack for the entire month, so we set up all the food and have, almost like an assembly line of people and bags.”
Additionally, Culver Blessings in a Backpack also receives a boost from its annual fun run/walk. This is the second year for the Bolt for Blessings event, which takes place during the Culver Fall Fest. Fox says it’s become an important fundraiser for the organization. “The sole purpose of the fundraising is to make sure that we have the funds we need to purchase the foods that we then fill the bags with over the weekend,” she says.
The Bolt for Blessings Fun Run/Walk takes place Saturday, October 8 at 8:30 a.m. at the Culver Beach Lodge. Both one-mile and three-mile courses will be available. To register for the event, click here.
For more information about volunteering or donating food, contact the organization through the Blessings in a Back Pack Culver Facebook page. Monetary donations may be made through the national Blessings in a Packpack organization’s website by listing Culver Elementary School as the recipient.
