Funds Matched This Week For Feeding America's Local School Backpack Program

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Edmonson Voice Update:
From July 19-23, Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland (FAKH) will host a week-long concerted fundraising effort to raise money for children on the BackPack Program in each participating county, the organization announced. For food-insecure children on the program, bags of 12-14 easy-to-prepare food items are placed discreetly in their backpacks each Friday school is in session.

“Nearly one in five children in our service area face hunger,” said Jamie Sizemore, FAKH executive director and Edmonson County native. “That’s why it’s so important to support the BackPack Program, which provides food for these kids to hold them over on the weekend when they aren’t receiving breakfast and lunch at school.”

Each participating county will organize an online fundraiser that directly supports their specific BackPack Program. FAKH will host a Greatest Needs fundraiser and donations raised will go to the county most in need of funding. Kroger’s Zero Hunger / Zero Waste Foundation will match each donation, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000 for the week of July 19-23. In addition, Jack Henry & Associates have provided $1,500 to be used as prize money awarded to the top five counties that raise the most funds, the county with the highest number of unique donors, and the most creative county, as determined by FAKH staff and based on promotion efforts.

“We’re fortunate to have the support of so many organizations like Kroger and Jack Henry & Associates,” Sizemore said. “Partnerships like these allow us to better provide for food insecure individuals in the community, and will allow these BackPack Programs to help even more children.”

A $120 donation will take care of one child's needs for an entire school year, and thanks to partners working together this week, their match will double that. Please CLICK HERE to visit Edmonson County's page and make your donation.