Schools
Communities Recognize National "Blessings in a Backpack Day"
Rochester Hills Challenges City of Rochester in Food Drive
Communities nationwide have declared Thursday, September 18, as “Blessings in a Backpack Day”- during which city officials will participate in packing bags full of food for children in their local communities who need it most.
In the spirit of good fun and in support of the local Blessings in a Backpack program, Mayor Bryan K. Barnett has issued a friendly challenge to the City of Rochester to see which community can collect the most food donations in the next two weeks.
“As we kick-off the school year, I am asking residents to join us in this community challenge by making a food donation at a drop-off site located throughout the two communities,” states Barnett.
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The State of Michigan has over 736,000 children who currently receive Free or Reduced Fee Lunches, or 48% of all students enrolled. Locally, the Rochester Community School District program supports nearly 2,250 students who are enrolled in the lunch program. Additionally, the Avondale School District serves another 1,115 students.
“This program has a very strong presence in the Rochester community and truly is one of those programs where the donations you give go directly to the children in your neighborhood,” states Rochester City Manager Jaymes Vettraino.
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Non-perishable food donations are needed and include items such as juice boxes, tuna fish, mac n’ cheese, chicken noodle soup, ravioli, granola bars, single serving fruit oatmeal and cereal, fruit cups, fruit snacks, tooth paste and tooth brushes, just to name a few.
Donations will be accepted September 5 thru September 15 at any of the drop-off locations throughout Rochester Hills and Rochester. Monetary donations are also welcomed and can be mailed to the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, P.O. Box 80431, Rochester, MI 48308.
About Blessings in a Backpack: Hunger has both short- and long-term negative effects on children’s health and ability to succeed in school. Blessings in a Backpack is a results-oriented 501(c)(3) program dedicated to ensuring that impoverished American elementary school children are fed over weekends. The Blessings in a Backpack program currently feeds more than 65,000 children in 45 different states. For more information, please visit www.blessingsinabackpack.org.
