The Greene County School District continues to see a steady incline of students utilizing a needed program.

At-Risk Liaison Emily Gannon coordinates the Backpack Program through the Food Bank of Iowa, where she can select available food items for free and those are delivered from Des Moines bi-weekly, a palette at a time. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that she gets help from high school students that need volunteer hours to package the bags for the 100 students that have signed up from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and then those are distributed discreetly to the students every Friday in their backpacks to help them get through the weekend. 

Gannon appreciates the community donations she receives to help supplement choices from time to time.

“Those are very good and helping me get the kid-friendly items. So, the Food Bank tends to have family staple items and I would say a lot of the donations are things that the kids are most excited about.” 

Gannon reveals that at the end of last school year, about 90 students were signed up for the Backpack Program as she shares her thoughts on that growing trend.

“I think a few things go into that. It is becoming harder for families and also our consistency with our program. People are aware of what we are doing, I think that we’re doing a good job of making it confidential. So kids don’t feel out of place receiving things in their backpack or that anybody knows they’re taking them home. So, I think our process has become better.”   

Gannon adds that she will include some additional food items for students for Thanksgiving and winter breaks coming up. Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation also recently gave $4,000 toward the program and Gannon is appreciative of that and notes that people can make their donations to it as well and they can drop them off at any of the school buildings.