GREENE, NY (WBNG) — For the past 13 years, “Blessings in a Backpack” has provided bags of non-perishable foods to students in the Greene Central School District who face food insecurity. The goal was to help 100 students and the organization surpassed that goal: They now help 105 students in total.
According to volunteers, a former Greene Zion Episcopal Church Pastor noticed many of the students in the school district needed a warm meal to come home to. He discussed the idea with dedicated members of the church and Blessings in a Backpack was born.
Now, a small group of volunteers pack bags for the students every Monday. The students go home with the bags for the weekend. Along with the ready-to-eat meals, the students also get a food item that volunteers have dubbed “The Special” for that week.
“It’s either soup, spaghetti and meatballs, tuna fish, chicken breast or ramen noodles,” said Coordinator Terri Weir.
Weir said the part of the church where they pack the bags has a broken heater. Nevertheless, the volunteers bundle up and go about business as usual, knowing they are making an impact in students’ lives.
“It was always fun to see the students when they came back the next day and say, ‘Hey! This is what I got in my bag!” said Coordinator Carole Stanbro. “We get some very nice letters from the parents thanking us for providing them with the food for the weekend and saying how much of a difference that it made for them.”
Blessings in a Backpack serves students enrolled in universal pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. When the bags are packed, they are separated into different crates associated with the specific grade levels. The volunteers drop off the crates at the schools. School administrators said they look forward to this day every week.
“It’s just a nice feeling to know that we’re able to help these students and they are going to have food for the weekend,” said Greene Central School District Nurse Pam Bailey. “The students are so grateful. Every year they say, ‘Thank you for giving me food again this year,’ and it just melts your heart and makes you want to help even more because not every child gets to go home to hot meals every night or all weekend long.”
The organization wants to continue helping students in the area, especially those who are on a waitlist to receive this service. Volunteers said they could only do this with more funding.
If you would like to make a monetary donation, make the check payable to Blessings in a Backpack and write “Greene Central School” in the memo line. Mail your donation to Zion Episcopal Church, attn: Blessings in a Backpack, P.O. Box 88, Greene, NY 13778.
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