By Doug La Rocque
The Brunswick Elks Lodge on Tuesday, September 18, formally donated $2,000 to the Food Backpack Program that provides weekend food for students in the Brittonkill School District, some of whom face the prospect of having little to no food at home during times when school is not in session.
The program is in conjunction with the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and provides food backpacks that include nutritious items easily prepared by school students and are shelf stable for ease of storage and preparation over the weekend.
Program representatives say the desired result is to have students returning to school during the week who are not hungry and better able to be attentive in the classroom as well as with their homework.
Locally, the Brunswick Cares Food Pantry, administered by the Brunswick Church, supports the food backpack program for 45 students at the Tamarac Elementary and Middle Schools. While funded through December of this year, the Food Pantry needs to raise $8,250 to assure students can be fed throughout the 30-week academic year. The $2,000 donated by the Elks goes a long way toward meeting this goal, and was given as part of its Gratitude Grant program.