The Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation (GCMHF) is the most recent donor to join the fight against hunger in Greene County by donating $12,000 to the Weekend Food Program (WFP) through the Community Foundation of Greene County (CFGC).
With approximately 1,570 children food insecure in Greene County, according to Feeding America, the WFP was established to provide school age children nutritional meals over the weekend when they do not have access to the free and reduced school breakfasts and lunches.
“The Weekend Food Program is a vital program and we are thrilled to be able to partner with the Community Foundation on such a worthwhile endeavor,” said Dave Jones, Executive Director of the Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation. The Hospital Foundation’s donation will support the program across all five school districts in the county.
After food service directors, guidance counselors and community members shared stories of children coming to school hungry on Monday mornings or pocketing extra food from the cafeteria, the group realized the crucial need for children to have food over the weekends and collaborated to create the WFP in 2012. School district food service directors prepare the menus for the packs and order the food through the school’s food vendor at a significantly reduced cost.
Food Service Director for Carmichaels Area School District Sean Stark said, “The program is really making a difference. To see the smile on the kids faces after receiving their first pack is incredibly rewarding.”
The pack includes 6 light nutritional meals for children that require no preparation and are non-perishable such as peanut butter, juice packs, oatmeal bars, cereal packs and more. At the cost of $195 per year per child, children receive the packs for the 37 week school year. The program is currently active in all five school districts in Greene County and served 146 children in the 2014-2015 school year.
The CFGC serves as facilitator and fiscal sponsor of the program. “We are excited to be able to partner with the Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation to fund the Weekend Food Program this year,” explained Bettie Stammerjohn Executive Director CFGC. “Their grant support means the schools will be able to help children have access to nutritious meals all week long throughout the school year. It is a huge impact for the program.”
Teachers and family members of children participating in the Weekend Food Program have reported decreased behavioral issues in classrooms, the children are more alert on Monday mornings, and children have expressed a new excitement in coming to school on Mondays.
To learn more about the Weekend Food Program and how you can support the program contact Bettie Stammerjohn at 724-627-2011.