MONROE — Because of collaborative work by more than one group dedicated to providing food for those without it, Jeannie Blumer, representative of Green Cares Food Pantry, said area students will no longer be without meals on the weekend.

Several local school districts including Albany, Black Hawk, Juda, Monticello and New Glarus are offering weekend food programs for their students.

“No one should be hungry,” Blumer said. “At this time, all foods are shelf-stable and include canned vegetables and fruit, canned white chicken, tuna, juice boxes, spaghetti and meatballs, shelf milk, single serving cereals and healthy snacks.”

These programs were created through a collaboration among Green Cares Food Pantry, Second Harvest Food Bank in Madison and the school districts. Funding is provided by the Green Cares Food Pantry, supplemented by a grant through the Monsignor Thomas Campion Foundation. 

Food will be provided by Green Cares and will be delivered to the schools; implementation of each school’s program is provided by school staff to protect the confidentiality of the students.

Blumer said early success of the Monticello Pony Pack Program, which is meant to provide children with food that is easy to prepare through packs taken home each Friday afternoon before a long weekend of school vacation, bolstered the idea of helping other districts. 

“Expansion was targeted at districts with high percentages of students using the free or reduced meals program,” Blumer said. “The Green Cares board contacted the school districts of Albany, Black Hawk, Juda and New Glarus, and all districts were reporting the same issues — schools were acutely aware some of their students needed additional food.”

Organizers aren’t sure about the number of students who might participate, “but we’re thinking we could see 150 children per week at some point,” Blumer said. 

Research completed by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention found that healthy students are more likely to have higher levels of education. Implementing strategies that help students stay healthy through eating healthy foods and being physically active can result in decreased rates of student absenteeism, fewer behavioral problems, and higher school-wide test scores and grades, according to the center.

“We know providing adequate, nutritious foods leads to better student outcomes,” Blumer said.

Representatives from each school district will work with Green Cares volunteers to place the food order with Second Harvest and each school district will record the number of unduplicated students using the program each month, as well as the total number of students served.

“There is no cost to the school district for this food, Green Cares Food Pantry is covering the costs of these programs,” Blumer said. “That being said, Green Cares needs help in covering the costs of this programming.”

The school’s programs include: Albany’s Comets Care Pack Program, Black Hawk’s Warrior Pack Program, Juda’s Panther Pack Program, New Glarus’ Food for Kids Program and the Pony Pack Program. 

“With a donation of $20, you can provide food for a student for one month’s worth of weekends,” Blumer said. “This is possible through the purchasing power of the Second Harvest Food Bank in Madison, part of the national Feeding America program.”

Those who want their donation go to a specific school district should note the district in the memo line. 

From 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 30, Green Cares will hold its second annual fundraiser “Sip, Savor, and Support the Green Cares Food Pantry” at Hawk’s Mill Winery in Browntown.

“The fundraiser allows guests to sample Hawk’s Mill Wines paired with Green County cheeses, sample a variety of appetizers, while enjoying the spectacular fall view of the Browntown countryside,” Blumer said.

Green Cares Food Pantry serves Green County low-income households and operates without paid staff. Currently, the pantry is serving between 250 and 300 households, and around 800 and 900 individuals. 

Interested volunteers can contact the pantry at greencares@tds.net.