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Blessings in a Backpack – Pack Night
Washington Savings Bank recently volunteered their time to help pack bags for Blessings in a Backpack of Effingham. They packed a total of 716 bags which will feed 358 kids for 2 weeks.
Blessings in a Backpack provides students, who are on the Federal Free & Reduced-Price Meal Program, food to take home on the weekends during the school year. 69% of children in the U.S. are on the free and reduced meal program. Food included in the backpacks is easy-to-prepare, kid-friendly and ready-to-eat, like oatmeal, granola bars, macaroni and cheese and applesauce.
$80 – $100 feeds 1 child every weekend for the full 38-week school year. 100% of money raised locally is used to feed the child in that community. Students who participate in Blessings in a Backpack show improvement in school attendance, test scores, behavior and health.
Washington Savings Bank’s president, David Doedtman said, “Blessings in a Backpack is a wonderful program that benefits so many families in our community. We’ve helped with packing nights for the last several years and each time is a great reminder of how much this organization does for hundreds of students in our area.”
If you would like to make a donation to Blessings in a Backpack visit EffinghamBackpack.org to find out how.