Blessings in a Backpack Program

Each student enrolled in a University 100 class must participate in some type of community service project, and Lora Woolwine’s class this semester has chosen the Blessings in a Backpack Program to do that. The program provides students with a backpack that will be filled each weekend with enough food to get them to Monday.

According to www.blessingsinabackback.org, “there are 20+ million children in this country who are at risk of hunger. The consequences of hunger are much more than a growling stomach. Poor nutrition can result in a weaker immune system, increased hospitalization, lower IQ, shorter attention spans, and lower academic achievement.”

The programs website also says that “$80 - $100 feeds one child on the weekends for one 38 week school year through the Blessings in a Backpack program.”

The students on Concord’s campus will be collecting backpacks, food, and books for the program to give to students in elementary school. The students in the University 100 class made the decision to add the books to the backpacks. Students from this University 100 class will soon be putting wrapped boxes around campus for those who wish to donate to the program.

Some of the types of food being accepted are: Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts, juice boxes (Minute Maid or Juicy Juice), Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-ups, Slim Jims, Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain bars, Del Monte fruit cups, Snack-Pack pudding cups, Kellogg’s variety pack cereal, Dole Jello with fruit, Mott’s applesauce, raisins, and one gallon size zip lock bags.

These particular brands were selected by one of the area project coordinators as being the most nutritious options, but all brands will be accepted for donation.

Those who wish to donate books should select a new or gently used age-appropriate children’s books. The group says that any gently used book should have no torn pages and no handwriting inside.

For more information about the Blessings in a Backpack Program throughout the country, visit www.blessingsinabackpack.org. To find out more about the University 100 class’s participation in the program, contact Lora Woolwine at lwoolwine@concord.edu.