Blessings in a Backpack
We have all felt the effects of the economic downturn in our state. With far too many people out of work, those of us with jobs are counting our blessings. However, it is on behalf of the more acute population that the Royal Oak School District is contacting you today. Across Michigan, families have been affected by the economy, and Royal Oak families are no exception. At this point in time, there are 1,400 Royal Oak students who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. While the government helps us keep children free from hunger at school, we cannot currently make sure children eat properly at home. Thusly, the Royal Oak School District is implementing measures to ensure each child is well fed outside of school as well. Specifically, we will team up with an innovative new program, “Blessings in a Backpack”.
Through Blessings in a Backpack, children on the free and reduced lunch program will be sent home with a backpack each Friday full of six nonperishable meals. The food is sold from a local grocery store at a reduced cost, which means a donation of just $100 will provide a backpack and food for one child for an entire school year. Research shows that when children are well fed attendance improves, test scores increase, and behavior issues are reduced, making your donation impactful immediately and in the long term.