Blessings in a Backpack’s COVID-19 Response Effort
Throughout the 2019-2020 school year, Blessings in a Backpack has provided more than 210,000 hunger-free weekends for thousands of elementary school students living in the Chicagoland area who are facing food insecurity. Even though, there are over 290,000 students in need in the Chicagoland area, Blessings in a Backpack was able to serve almost 6,000 students every Friday.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to serve over 3,000 students at 8 different locations across the city of Chicago. Stagg Elementary, for example, was one of our programs that continued to serve student every Friday of the school year, even after schools closed. Before Covid-19, we served a total of 185 students every week at Stagg, yet thanks to our wonderful volunteers and community partners we were able to increase our numbers to serve 350 students weekly during the Covid-19 crisis. Stagg families had to line up an hour before food was distributed each Friday, but with the help of our amazing volunteers we were able to provide bags of weekend food alongside the student’s free lunches, to make sure every student had enough to eat while school is closed. We are so grateful for our passionate volunteers and community partners!
Our Chapter and all of our programs are receiving an outpouring of support. We are so blessed to have such a caring and motivated group of volunteers and donors in Chicago. Because of people like them (and you!), we are providing for our kids during this public health emergency. Thank you!
As little as $4 will help provide one bag of food for a child during COVID-19.