09/23/2017

Sign Up for the School Backpack Program

Impact hunger in Arbor Lodge - one weekend at a time via a backpack of food from Chief Joseph school.

*  What?  you donate 30 individual pieces of fresh fruit on your assigned week - it goes in a backpack for the weekend for children identified by their teacher or school counselor as coming to school hungry most Mondays - They all qualify for free and reduced meals at school too.*  How?  you volunteer by responding to this request - you get assigned a week or two from the school calendar.  On your week you take 30 individual pieces of fresh fruit - think apple, orange, satsumas - to Chief Joseph on Saratoga at Delaware anytime between 7:30 and 3:30 on Monday or Tuesday, or 7:30 and noon on Wednesday.  Other volunteers add shelf stable foods and distribute to the children each Friday.  (Bags packed Wed afternoon or Thursday by others.)*  Can I change my assigned week?  Yes, usually trading with others from that month, or with help from me*  Do you share my e-mail?  Usually not, and if you ask that I not, I won't.  The assigned weeks come out at the beginning of planning, and a reminder comes out the last week of the month for the next month.  The general assignment e-mail is all bcc.  The monthly is not to allow for "trading weeks" as needed.  But, again, if you don't want it shared, it won't be.

Right now we have about 12 folks volunteering.  We have 33 weeks of school this year.  So, we will be asking folks to donate 2.5 times for the school year if no others join, or less depending on the number of volunteers overall.

Join the Backpack Program, or ask questions by emailing Ginger - ginger.edws@gmail.comI'll be slow responding in early October, by mid month I'll be up to speed.