Two grants were recently awarded to Midwest Food Bank's Backpack Program. Illinois Prairie Community Foundation's gift of $3000 and Kiwanis Bloomington Golden K's gift of $1500 will both help to purchase of a shelf-stable fruit product as a new addition to the program for the 2019-2020 school year.
The Backpack Program provides food for the weekend for children that qualify for the free or reduced lunch program in the Bloomington-Normal area. Volunteers from 36 partner schools pick up food from MFB Bloomington, bundle it and send it home with the students. At this writing, nearly 2,900 school children receive food from the Backpack program each week.
MFB and partner schools have a desire to enhance the nutritional content of the food provided. Thanks to Illinois Prairie Foundation and Kiwanis Bloomington Golden K for making that desire a reality.
