From Jeannie Blumer

Chair, SWCAP Board of Directors

Volunteer, Green County Cares Food Pantry

Black Hawk students need our help; too many students have insufficient food for the weekends. 

Problems are solved when we work together, and that’s exactly what we did last summer. In August 2018, a partnership between the School District of Black Hawk, Second Harvest Food Bank and Green Cares Food Pantry was formed to provide weekend foods to Black Hawk students, grades 4k–12, who request the service. From September 2018 through July 2019, a total of 1,415 weekend food packs were issued to Black Hawk students. 

Here’s how the program works. Green Cares purchased food through the Second Harvest Food Bank in Madison, utilizing the purchasing power of the Food Bank. Second Harvest delivers the food to the Green Cares Food Pantry just outside of Monticello, and a Green Cares volunteer transports the food to the Black Hawk School District. The School District provides an in-kind contribution to the program by confidentiality issuing the shelf-stable foods to participating students. Only the district knows the names of the students. And what’s most important; there is no charge to the student, parent or the district.

Does research support this type of programming? The answer is yes. Feeding America’s research found students who are food insecure are more likely to repeat a grade in elementary school, more likely to have developmental impairments in language and motor skills, and have more social and behavioral problems.

Earlier I stated together we can solve this problem. Green Cares Food Pantry needs donations to purchase the food through the Second Harvest Food Bank for Black Hawk students. The only cost charged to this program is the cost of the food. If you wish to partner with Green Cares in making sure students have sufficient food for the weekend, please make your check payable to Green Cares Food Pantry — Black Hawk Warrior Pack Program, and mail it to Green Cares Food Pantry, W5198 County Road C, Monticello WI 53570. That way your donation will be ear-marked for Black Hawk students. A donation of $25 would provide weekend food for a student for one month. 

All of us want students to do their best at school; let’s not have food insecurity interfere with that goal. Thanks for listening.