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Kitchen table issues matter. Proof is the new Friday Backpack program,
which is taking a bite out of hunger at Island City Elementary School.
The two key words that describe the program are caring and sharing.
It’s all about overcoming, in these uncertain economic times, the
complacency of the haves and the forgottenness of the have-nots.
Through the Friday Backpack program, children from low-income families each Friday are provided with bags of food, which they take home. All the bags are donated or purchased with contributed money. This is a significant source of food for children of low-income families over a weekend.
The local Friday Backpack Program is part of a nationwide effort that started in Iowa several years ago. Island City students first began receiving food via the program in late October.
About 18 volunteers help run the local Friday Backpack Program. These individuals should be commended for their work to better the community and help people in need. The volunteers have found a cause of community service that is bigger than their own self-interest.
About one in five children live in poverty. That’s a fact of life. And when these children go hungry, their school work and long-term chances for success can suffer. Programs such as Friday Backpack address these deeply rooted family problems and benefit not only schools but society at large.
Good nutrition is important not only for success in school. It’s also critical for holding the family together at home. It’s hard to learn when your stomach is constantly growling. Because each youth can make a difference in the future, it’s imperative that the Friday Backpack program expands soon into other schools in the community and the region.
The Friday Backpack program started serving just 10 children and their families. Today donations have increased to the point where 50 children from 37 families are served. Such growth reflects the remarkable community support the program is receiving, support that can grow even further in the future.
Getting involved is easy. People can make food contributions at the following drop sites:
• Cook Memorial Library
• Island City Elementary School
• The Oregon State University Extension office in Island City
• The Zion Lutheran, Nazarene and First Presbyterian churches in La Grande
• Grande Ronde Retirement Residence
• Bugs and Butterflies
• The J. Burcart Law office, 902A Sixth St.
Donation checks should be mailed to Friday Backpack Program, 1308 Washington Ave.,
La Grande 97850. Let’s get together as a community and help this important program expand to serve more needy children and their families throughout the region.
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Opinion 
