Summer "peanut butter" Backpack Program funded by Good Shepherd Sunday School

Noah Tapscott, Natalie Tapscott, Pastor Joan Mau, Rowan Trout, Joseph Xia, Gabriella Xia

The Northeast Iowa Backpack Program that provides weekly food supplements in backpacks for students who might be "food insecure" doesn't have to be inactive just because summer is approaching.  Thanks to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Sunday School, the program now has additional funds to send some summer supplies home with the students.

Each year during Lent the Good Shepherd Sunday School engages in a special fund raising project. This year, as part of their Hunger Hits Home theme, they selected the backpack program as the focus of their drive. Their goal of raising $565 to provide summer peanut butter supplements for the 85 students in the Backpack program was more than met. They raised over $1,000, with the extra money going to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank.

The Backpack Program is a local volunteer initiated program associated with The Northeast Iowa Food Bank. The Food Bank also serves other food pantry initiatives in the area, and is part of the national program, Feeding America. The address is: Northeast Iowa Food Bank, PO Box 2397, Waterloo, IA 50704-2397.

(see decorahnews.com archives, December 18, 2 012, for story on the Backpack Program and its volunteers.)

Project exceeded goal (click to enlarge)

Anthony Ruiz counts the money