'Food 2 Go 4 Kids' helps Ligonier Valley students in need
A program designed to provide Ligonier Valley children in need with food on the weekends is thriving, but organizers need ongoing funding to sustain it.
Ligonier Valley School District Foundation and community volunteers started the Food 2 Go 4 Kids: Weekend Backpack Program last month, giving elementary school students who qualify for free lunches a package of easy-to-make meals and snacks twice a month. About 50 students, including a few middle school students, are enrolled in the program, but there are more who need assistance.
“From what (Principal Ed Moran) tells me, there are more kids we could be serving if there were more funds available,” said foundation member Irma Hutchinson.
The packages include items like SpaghettiO's, macaroni and cheese, applesauce cups, Pop Tarts, pudding cups, cheese crackers, mixed fruit, Rice Krispies bars and Nutri-Grain bars. Middle school students, under the supervision of teacher Eric Vogelsang, have volunteered to put the packages together.
“It's been going really well,” Moran said.
To implement the program, school staff identifies and contacts eligible families. Parents may choose to enroll their children. Approximately 63 percent of Laurel Valley Elementary School's 257 students qualify for free lunches, and 40 percent of R.K. Mellon Elementary School's 412 students qualify.
Teachers deliver the packages to students discreetly on Fridays.
“We're making sure that kids aren't singled out and that they don't feel uncomfortable with the whole process,” Moran said.
Students at the Valley School of Ligonier have collected items to donate to the program.
“They heard what we were doing, and they wanted to partner with us,” Moran said. “They wanted to help.”
Though food donations are appreciated, Moran said monetary donations are better because he has been purchasing the items in bulk.
“The more donations we have, the more families we can help,” he said.
Contributions of the above listed items can be made at the administration building or by contacting Hutchinson via email at jhutchinson419@comcast.net.
Monetary donations can be mailed to the Ligonier Valley School District Foundation at 120 E. Main St., Ligonier, with designation made to KidzKare, Food 2 Go 4 Kids.
For more information, call Moran at 724-238-5663 or the administration building at 724-238-5656.
Nicole Chynoweth is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-850-2862 or nchynoweth@tribweb.com.
