No Child Goes Hungry (NCGH) is pleased to donate $1000 to Rapids Family Backpacks, a community-based non-profit that provides nutritious weekend meals in a backpack for Wisconsin Rapids Public School (WRPS) families facing hunger. Funds donated to Rapids Family Backpacks are used to purchase non-perishable food and to help fund vouchers at local convenience stores for some supplemental perishable foods. The funds NCGH contributed will be used to sponsor one week of food for program participants.
According to Barb Bondioli, WRPS School Social Worker, the NCGH donation will offer significant support at a critical time.
“Rapids Family Backpacks currently sends out 90 backpacks per week and serves all public and two private elementary schools and the middle school in our community,” said Bondioli. “Each backpack costs approximately ten dollars. Our program runs from October to May—essentially, most of the school year. This $1,000 donation from No Child Goes Hungry is such a huge help to us, especially right now. Our community has been hard-hit by the pandemic and the closure of our local paper mill. It was the major source of income for our area. This donation will go a long way, and we cannot say thank you enough.”
Bondioli says that Rapids Family Backpacks is currently in partnership with Wisconsin Rapids’ local food pantry (SWEPS) and meal site, The Neighborhood Table, to form one larger organization, FOCUS (Feeding Our Community with United Services). The newly forming entity means the potential for even more significant local impact and more sustainable hunger relief for those who need it.
Kären Rasmussen, No Child Goes Hungry Director and Founder, says she is thrilled to give back to an organization in her hometown state and support an entity that is impacting so many in need.
“I am excited to partner with an organization that is helping so many, and that is on pace to grow significantly,” said Rasmussen. “Rapids Family Backpacks proves that by focusing on local need, passionate people, with the support of generous supporters, can make an exponential impact.”
To learn how NCGH can help support your local hunger advocacy initiative, contact us today.