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Archive for November, 2011

Over 350 Kids Still on Our Waiting List

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

I have tried to write this post for over an hour and just can’t describe the need in our community any better than the enclosed letters from schools with children who are on our waiting list. We still have over 350 kids on our waiting list at 5 schools in Amarillo. Coronado, Wolflin, Tradewind, Sanborn, and Oakdale Elementary need this program. If your church, business, civic group, family, or organization is looking for a place to help children in our community this is a great place to help. 100% of your donation is used to buy food. We can feed a child for the entire school year for $133 or $11/month.  Thank you for helping us end weekend hunger in our schools.  Click on the highlighted schools to read their letters.  

Fewer Nurse Visits at 1 School on Monday Morning

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

I just wanted to share some interesting data that our nurse has collected. We counted the number of students who were sent to the nurses' office on Monday morning for a stomach ache or a head ache from the beginning of school until the 1st week of November last year and this year. This year, we have seen 25 less students than we did last year. It is interesting to me that our total enrollment is also up by 40 students. The Snack Pak bags are helping students stay in the classroom and out of the nurses office. We know that the more opportunity they have to learn, the better the opportunity to graduate and become productive citizens. Thank you for all you do!

Terri
Principal
Will Rogers Elementary

Happy State Bank Collects 37,000 Pop Tarts

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Over 7,700 pop tarts collected by Soncy location and 2,900 at the Tascosa Rd. See Channel 7 story.

AMARILLO, TEXAS — Alleviating hunger in school children over the weekend is the mission of “Snack Pak 4 Kids“. It’s volunteers and businesses in the area that are helping the program accomplish that goal.
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Happy State Bank is one of those making a difference in the Panhandle Spirit.

“We collected 37,000 Pop-Tarts or equivalent to over 6,100 boxes,” said Cari Roach, Vice President, Marketing Director of Happy State Bank.

Happy State Bank heard there was a need for Pop-Tarts, and its people say they were more than happy to answer the call.

All through October, branches in Amarillo, Canyon, and Hereford collected them, and here’s why that was so important. The program buys food through the Food Bank, but couldn’t do that for Pop-Tarts and peanut butter.

“Snack Pak 4 Kids” is a program that discreetly puts snacks in kids’ backpacks to take home for the weekend.

“When we heard hungry kids and a program to reach out to them. We had to, there was no choice,” said Roach.

“Am overjoyed at our employees. These employees bought these pop-tarts themselves, the bank did not. The bank did make a monetary donation because we do believe in taking care of our communities and serving in our communities.”

So how can you help?

“You can volunteer to help organize, you can donate money, you can donate peanut butter or Pop-Tarts yourself. It takes $133 a year to feed a child through this program,” said Roach.

She says the Pop-Tart drive will more than likely turn into an annually event since it was such a success.

For more information on how you can help “Snack Pak 4 Kids”, click here.

http://www.connectamarillo.com/news/story.aspx?id=681947#.TsNb4mCXsfE

Tulia Starts Snack Pak 4 Kids

Monday, November 14th, 2011

Snack Pak 4 KidsOver 60 elementary students received their first Snack Paks on Friday Nov 11th. Learn how you can help expand the program to more students in Tulia.  The early feedback after only one week is great.  Casey McBroom, Highland Elementary principal, said, “Many of our Highland students have a limited food source during the weekends and Snack Pak 4 Kids will help sustain those students until they return to school on Mondays. We are proud and excited to support this project and I have no doubt that we will see academic and social gains from our students who receive Snack Pak 4 Kids.” Oct 26th edition of Swisher County News Read more here 

If  you would like to help contact Celeste Howard at 995-4591, Cynthia Zolman 995-2104, or Bonnie Daniel at 995-4115.

If you would like to donate to the Tulia program use this form

2000 Jars of PB Donated by Church of Christ @ the Colonies

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Snack Pak/Colonies PB DriveOver 2000 jars of peanut butter were donated by the Church of Christ @ the Colonies to the Snack Pak program.  They are also sponsoring 152 children at Eastridge Elementary school.  Thank you for your support of the Snack Pak 4 Kids program.  Here is a recent email from the social work intern at Eastridge on the impact at their school.

Things are going well at Eastridge. I have kids come and ask on Monday when they return their backpacks if they will receive them again on Friday. Snack Pak 4 KidsMy answer is always yes and I receive a big hug or high five and big smiles every time. One of our Burmese students told me that he doesn’t have to go to the nurse on Monday anymore because his stomach doesn’t hurt on Mondaymornings anymore. I talked to some of the teachers and they are beginning to see a difference in the kids who receive the Snak Paks in regards to attendance and attentiveness. Thank you for all you do.
Blessings,
Anthony                        

How Snack Pak is Making a Difference

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Things are going well at Eastridge. I have kids come and ask on Monday when they return their backpacks if they will receive them again on Friday. My answer is always yes and I receive a big hug or high five and big smiles every time. One of our Burmese students told me that he doesn’t have to go to the nurse on Monday anymore because his stomach doesn’t hurt on Monday mornings anymore. I talked to some of the teachers and they are beginning to see a difference in the kids who receive the Snak Paks in regards to attendance and attentiveness. Thank you for all you do.
Blessings,
Anthony

Over 2800 pop tarts donated byJr League of Amarillo

Monday, November 7th, 2011
Snack Pak 4 Kids pop tart drive Jr League of Amarillo
Jr League of Amarillo pop tart drive

Thank you Jr. League of Amarillo for donating over 2850 pop tarts to the Snack Pak 4 Kids program.  The Jr. League has also sponsored 10 kids at Wills elementary with a grant.  Thank you for your support.  The generous donation of pop tarts will allow us to lower the cost of each bag and provide our children with some variety each week.  We are able to purchase all items is the bag except pop tarts and peanut butter. If you or your business would like to conduct a food drive to help children in 6 school districts go to the Get Involved section of our website to learn more.

Channel 14 Story on Hereford Snack Pak

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Great story on the Snack Pak 4 Kids program in Hereford. 

http://myhighplains.com/search-fulltext?nxd_id=225817

Over 1600 Kids Benefit

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Currently Snack Pak 4 Kids is delivering over 1600 bags of food each weekend to children in 4 school districts. Children in Amarillo, Bushland, Canyon, and Hereford receive bags each Friday at school.  Tulia and River Road will start the program on November 11th.  Our waiting list is smaller, but we still have many kids who don’t have this program available at their school.  Our vision is to make Snack Pak 4 Kids or a similar program available  to every child in the Texas Panhandle by 2015.