Members of Alcona County Organizations Help Provide Food for Alcona Elementary Students in Backpack Program
Thanks to Alcona Community Schools Elementary Backpack Program, students will go home with a hand full of food thanks to some great community members.
Sometimes a lunch at school is the only time a child may eat, or eat their biggest meal.
That’s why members of Alcona organizations like the Lincoln Lions and Mikado American Legion Group decided to donate to the elementary children in Alcona County to make sure they have a meal on weekends while they are away from school.
Wednesday the group of Alcona volunteers from five local organizations, prepared food to feed 52 children that are apart of the ‘Backpack Program.’
Dan Richardson helps delivery meals from the eastern Michigan Food Bank and says it’s wonderful to help out kids in need. The meals come in every two weeks and feed the 52 students apart of the program for that period of time.
With the help of grants and community donations, the groups of volunteers were able to collect over $7, 200
“We collect donations. We do dinners and different events and raffles so we put this money together, and there’s a few donations that come from anonymous donors,” Commander of American Legion Post 254, Michael Serafin said.
President of the Lincoln Lions, Don Larkin said he doesn’t think twice about helping out his community especially when it’s involving kids.
“When you’re doing it for the kids in the community, I think the money comes easier. It’s never an easy thing to do to ask people for money, but it goes for the children. It’s good for them to know that there are people in the community that care about the children in the community,” President of the Lincoln Lions, Don Larkin said.
Wednesday’s donation wasn’t only about providing food. Kids received personal items too thanks to a collection of goodies from the Mikado American Legion Auxiliary.
The ‘Backpack Program’ started with Alcona Community Schools in 2012. Thanks to the $7,200 dollars raised, the program has enough money to help out 72 students if needed.
The money raised helped feed kids for the entire 2017–2018 school year.
“What you do means a lot to these kids, and their parents. They look forward to getting these backpacks to go home…so thank you for raising these funds for Alcona schools. The kids are truly blessed because of you,” ACS Principal, Tammi Bonzheim said with emotion.
