Nutrition On Weekends Program Needs Donations
Weekends when you are a kid are supposed to be about fun, relaxation, and family time. The biggest worry kids should have is whether or not mom or dad will let them stay up a few minutes late on Friday and to remember to start their homework before 8 p.m. on Sunday night.
But that isn’t the reality for all kids in our community. For some kids, weekends mean they might have to go hungry or go without needed nutrition.
“The idea that children right here in our community are going to bed hungry because there isn’t enough food in their home is unacceptable, “ said Marshfield United Way Communications Director Ashley Winch.
“The (Nutrition on Weekend) program was created in response to data collected from Marshfield students as part of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. In 2012, 20% of students surveyed indicated he/she had gone to bed hungry at least once in the past thirty days because there was not enough food in the home. In 2015, this percentage increased to 23%,” she said.
This need is why the Marshfield United Way started their Nutrition on Weekends program in 2013. The program provides healthy, ready-to-eat nutritional foods for children during the weekend. It currently serves 250-300 students weekly on an annual basis in Marshfield, Auburndale, Granton, and Spencer School Districts, Winch said. This school year Loyal and Greenwood School Districts have also been added.
Unfortunately the program, which officially kicks off today for the new school year is in dire need of more donations.
“We are still in need of donations of the following items: granola bars, fruit cups, goldfish and animal crackers, dried fruit, cheerios, raisin bran, life cereal, applesauce cups, fruit snacks, crackers, and pretzels,” she said.
If you are interested in helping out, the United Way has made donations very easy. Donations can be made at their office 156 S Central Avenue, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm.. There is also a large yellow box at the exit of Festival Foods, 1613 N. Central Ave. You can just pick up a few extra items and drop it in the box for donation.
The program could also use volunteers to help facilitate the program. Anyone interested in volunteering for the program, can contact our office at 715-384-9992 or email [email protected].
“This program is possible because of all the wonderful support it receives from the community. In addition to the generous donations of food and money we receive, last year, we also received help from 436 volunteers who provided countless hours of their time to help make this program operate on a weekly basis. We are grateful to have the ability to continue to serve school districts in our area that have children facing food insecurities in their home, and that wouldn’t be possible without the generosity from our community,” Winch said.
