With Spring Break creeping up on Wayne County schools, those who participate in the Wooster Hope Center’s Backpacks of Food program will be receiving extra food to help nourish them while they are away from school for a week.
When this school year began, the Wooster Hope Center expanded its partnership with schools throughout Wayne County, effectively doubling the amount of food its distributes to students and their families. It now distributes the food every week instead of every two weeks. Volunteers pack and distribute the bags of food.
Cornerstone Elementary School in Wooster served as the pilot for the program six years ago. Principal Eric Vizzo said as the Backpacks of Food program launched, there was some concern whether there would be enough food available for the students. Vizzo and Richard Frazier, Wooster Hope Center’s executive director, talked about providing quality food for the students. Vizzo’s hope in the beginning was the food being sent home could be prepared with minimal or no preparation.
Principal Shawna DeVoe said Rittman Elementary School has been participating in the program for three or four years. DeVoe and the teachers had started their own food pantry at the school to help the students, and when Frazier learned about it he reached out to help.
“We found that the kids were so excited to come back to school to eat lunch because they were so hungry,” DeVoe said. So, they started sending food home every other week to families facing difficulties monetarily. The pantry provided a little extra support so the kids could have food in their homes over the weekends and not be so hungry when they returned on Mondays.
For the three years Matt Karolewski has been principal of Apple Creek Elementary School, he has seen the benefits of the Backpacks of Food program.
“Most families involved are thrilled with the assistance and truly appreciate it,” Karolewski said. “Students are always happy with the contents. I think it is a morale booster for some kiddos when they know they will have choices of what they can eat during the weekend.”
There are about 75 students on the program at Cornerstone; 70 in Rittman; and 35 in Apple Creek. The Backpacks of Food program is in 11 elementary schools in five districts. The number of students participating have generally been increasing, sometimes reaching about 300. Between 1,100-1,200 bags are sent home each month. While the program is called Backpacks of Food, the food is distributed in bags donated by Kohl’s, Frazier said.
“The kids look forward to it,” DeVoe said. “They are excited to look into their bags and see what they are getting that week. If they don’t get their bags, they will seek us out. Those kids asking for the bag tells us that its meaningful for them and necessary. It’s an important piece for their nutrition, body health, and brain health.”
“The primary benefit (of the program) is that our students are having food available to them during the weekend,” Vizzo said. “Many families struggle to make resources last from paycheck to paycheck. These packs of food provide a much needed boost each week. Additionally, we have seen enrollment in the program expand.” Cornerstone started with 25 students, and now it is around 75, sometimes a little higher.
“I think the program is extremely beneficial for the community,” Karolewski said. “I know some families are hesitant to sign up at first. Once they realize that it is a non-judgmental program that is here to assist, we have people asking for it. The Wooster Hope Center is helping the community in several ways, and I feel privileged to have this program at Apple Creek.”
The program has been successful, in part, because of a group of dedicated volunteers and striving to keep costs down, Frazier said.
“We make extra calls and go the extra mile to get discounts and to get food for free,” Frazier said. “We get the bags ready on Fridays. We have three teams that help put them together. There are four to six people in each team. We put a call out in July for volunteers, and they commit to serve throughout the entire school year. Some volunteer every week, others every other week. Southeast Schools has a partnership with Mennonite Christian Assembly, and Wooster Nazarene helps out in Wooster.”
The biggest need of the program are donations. The national program averages about $2.07 per bag, Frazier said, adding, “Because of our partnerships, including the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, we are able to keep the cost down to 35 cents. So, a $35 donation will provide 100 bags.”
You can make a donation here.