You may remember learning of my passion for helping the Backpack Buddies Foundation last
year. The charity is nationwide and is fighting to alleviate childhood hunger. Backpack Buddies is a program run
throughout the country by individual schools, churches, and groups using
several program names. How does it work? Plastic grocery bags filled with nutritional,
easy-to-prepare or ready-to-eat foods are delivered to the school each week.
The school places these bags into the backpacks (also supplied by the schools,
churches, and groups) and the children take them home on Friday afternoons,
returning them to the school on Mondays. This is also done for holidays
and extended breaks from school.
How did this become
my thing? I VERY passionately believe that NO child should go to bed hungry or
face the fear of not having enough to eat. I am a runner and last year when
looking online for a race to run here in Maryland, I stumbled upon a church
in Severn, MD doing their first ever
run/walk to benefit Backpack Buddies. I made it my goal to help this first time
program succeed so that they would continue to do it year after year for our
community. After months of fundraising, I was able to hand them a check for
$801.00! Upon handing the check to the charity run organizers, I was met with
tears and a LOT of hugs. Between October 2012 and June 2013, this
very program distributed 650 backpacks of food to children at risk of not
having sufficient food to eat over the weekend! How amazing is that?!
I’m proud to say that the same church is doing this event
again! The 2nd annual 5k race takes place on October 26th,
2013. Hell yes! You can read more about the event here http://www.gpccn.org/Missions_5k.html.
I tried to make it simple last year
by asking for donations from four different levels -
- Give $10.
- Since I am
running a 5k, which is 3.1 miles - give
$31.
- Give $100 or a donation of your
choosing.
- Give me all your money! (Definitely the best option ; )
If you feel inclined to help, please write me a check for
any amount or give me cash no later than October 25th. 100% of your donation will go to funding for Backpack Buddies.
There is NO PRESSURE. Money is tight. Money is ALWAYS tight. I completely
understand if it’s not a good time.
And just to pull at your heart string a little more, here
are a few stats to think about –
- Although
Maryland is one of the wealthiest states in the country and home to three
of the richest counties in the nation (Howard, Montgomery and Calvert), 12.5 percent of households in Maryland (or 1 in 8) face a
constant struggle against hunger.
- 243,000 children are at risk of hunger in Maryland.
- 13.6% of Maryland children lived below the poverty line
last year.
- More than 343,000 Maryland students qualified for a free or reduced-price meal during the 2010-2011 school year
I NEED YOUR HELP. FLOAT ON...
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