130 Kids in Warrenton Participate Weekly in Healthy Kids Food Backpack Program
By Mary Nauha
Warrenton School’s Mary Suever has, for the past eight years, been the school’s counselor and homeless liaison for the district. During that time, she has overseen a program that she is passionate about within the community known as the Food Backpack Program. The Backpack Program is funded under Warrenton-Hammond Healthy Kids’ 501D3 non-profit status, and was founded 10 years ago. Currently, the program is sending weekend meals home with 130 children within the school district from preschool to high school ages.
Generous donations come in from members of the community and from the local food bank, who provides fresh produce, peanut butter, non-perishables, and healthy snacks to the school each Thursday. Each family in need receives a backpack full of wonderful food items for each child within the family each Friday to help them through the weekend. Each child receives 2 meals such as canned tuna or salmon, fresh produce when possible and ravioli or mac and cheese for a lunch or dinner meal along with 2 breakfasts including cereal packets, fruit and fruit bars, and 4 snack items.
Cindy Daily, Chapter President for NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness), and her volunteers from the Assistance League arrive at 10 am on Fridays to help pack the backpacks. “The backpacks are marked with the teacher’s name, the student’s initials and how many children will receive meals within the family. This way the family maintains complete confidentiality,” explains Ms. Suever. “We also include recipes of how to use the food items with our backpacks. That way, even an older child can learn to cook and contribute to the wellbeing of the family.”
Recipes are “Super Kid Friendly” and simple. “Cook Your Potato!” provides instructions to first wash your potato well (no soap!), then take a fork and poke holes in it. Instructions then describes how many minutes to cook each potato in the microwave and cautions the kids that the potato will be hot when removing! Other recipes include instruction on how to use canned tuna or salmon to make sandwiches, salmon patties and pasta. Families are requested to return their backpacks each week before Wednesday to receive their food on Friday.
Food donations can be dropped off anytime at the front office at Warrenton Grade School and are tax deductable. Please remember to ask for a tax deductable donation slip at the desk. Monetary donations can be made out to Warrenton Hammond Healthy Kids with the Warrenton Grade School’s Backpack Program designated at the bottom of the check. For more information, Mary Suever can be reached at WGS or visit the Warrenton-Hammond Healthy Kids website online.
