Blessings in a Backpack’s COVID-19 Response Effort
We can all remember how we felt as our country responded to the serious health threat created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many stores were closed immediately, people were working from home, non-essential workers were furloughed, and children were being homeschooled. But the impact for many of those young kids went much deeper than how they were learning. For the nearly 5,000 students in K-5 in Waukesha County, there was an added concern, “What about the breakfast and lunch I get at school Monday through Friday? What about the 1,700 kids going without the Blessings in a Backpack bags they receive each Friday of the school year?”
Blessings had to become more nimble and creative in making sure food gets home to these hungry kids each Friday. Each school district set up different ways for their food to get to the students. Blessings set up our distribution right alongside to ensure that ALL kids in Waukesha County have the food they need.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and financial burden created for families, both Oconomowoc and Waukesha School Districts committed to providing lunches throughout the summer for children in need. While our mission at Blessings is to provide food for hungry kids on the weekends throughout the school year, our chapter decided to distribute food on Fridays during the summer. Our goal is to continue our alternative distribution as long as it is necessary to ensure that children do not go hungry on the weekends.
At Blessings in a Backpack, we mobilize communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekend to kids who might otherwise go hungry. Because of this mission, we have witnessed the power of communities when they come together toward a common goal. It is because of this experience that we are confident we will find the strength to weather this storm together. Thank you!
As little as $4 will help provide one bag of food for a child during COVID-19.