LOCALadk Magazine

52 Summer 2015 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk Feeding children, one backpack at a time by Chris Morris For young children, nutrition and learning go hand-in-hand. During the school week, free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs help keep kids fed. But what happens to children on weekends, or when school isn't in session? The BackPack program, administered in the Adirondack region by the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, works to "alleviate child hunger by discreetly providing hungry children with backpacks full of nu- tritious and easy-to-prepare food on Friday afternoons so they have food to eat throughout the weekend." This year, generous donors and local partners are helping Adirondack Foundation fund BackPack programs at a number of local schools. In Essex County, PRIDE of Ticonderoga used grants from the foundation's Generous Acts Fund and Adirondack Gives—a crowdfunding website for community organizations—to bring the BackPack program to schools in Schroon Lake, Ticonderoga, and Crown Point. "We are very fortunate to be included in a program that supports the nutritional needs of our students," said James Polunci, interim superin- tendent of Schroon Lake Central School. "Twenty-eight percent of local school-aged children are from families struggling to survive on incomes below the federal poverty level," said John Bartlett, president of PRIDE's Board of Directors. "These children, who are hungry due to reduced food intake and disrupted eating pat- terns, tend to suffer from more health issues and poor school atten- dance, behavior problems, and poor academic performance. Even mod- erate nutritional vulnerability can hinder cognitive development and impair young children's abilities." Meanwhile, in Franklin and St. Law- rence counties, Adirondack Foun- dation's Adirondack for Kids Fund is supporting BackPack programs at schools in Massena and Malone. Adirondack Foundation is a com- munity foundation that serves Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, and Warren counties, as well as parts of St. Lawrence and Her- kimer counties. The foundation works with people, organizations, and businesses to fulfill their char- itable goals. To get involved, or to learn more, visit www.generousact.org or call (518) 523-9904. Chris Morris is Communications Manager at Adirondack Founda- tion. He can be reached by email at chris@generousact.org.

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