Launched during the 2011-2012 school year to assist school children in RSU 14 to overcome food insecurity so they can grow up healthy, do their best work in school, and become successful adults, the Windham/Raymond Backpack Program has become a lifeline for students when school is not in session.
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| Shaw Dwight of Windham's Paul's Boutique was honored earlier this year for donating to the RSU 14 Backpack Program which feeds students in need when school is not in session. From left are RSU 14 Backpack Program volunteer Marge Govoni, Shaw Dwight, and RSU 14 Kitchen Manager Ryan Roderick. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
That’s where the Windham/Raymond Backpack Program comes in. It provides food to supplement children in need over weekends and school breaks during the school year. Each “Backpack” contains breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, as well as snacks and they are discreetly distributed to the students by teachers or staff at each RSU 14 school and are packed every Tuesday by a team of volunteers at Windham Middle School.
Backpack Program volunteer Marge Govoni of Windham said that ongoing research indicates that children who grow up in food insecure households sometimes trail their peers in terms of cognitive, emotional, and physical development and this RSU 14 program was created to help students overcome those challenges.
She said that when the RSU 14 Backpack Program started, it provided meals for about 50 students but has since increased to more than 120 students participating from both Windham and Raymond schools.
“The increase in participation paired with rising food costs has made it more important than ever that we keep this program open and available to as many children as we can,” Govoni said.
Data formulated by the National Health Interview Study shows a direct correlation between household food insecurity and significantly worsening general health in American children, including more acute and chronic health problems and increased emergency room hospital visits.
The Windham/Raymond Backpack Program only accepts monetary donations to ensure the nutritional items and menu are similarly based and meet the needs of the child, Govoni said.
“In order to continue to serve up to 120 children each weekend during the school year, we need more members of the community to support our program,” she said. “We are reaching out to local businesses asking for additional sponsors to this program.”
For residents who are considering donating to the RSU 14 Backpack Program, Govoni said that donation benchmarks are one bag for one child at $10, and one child for the school year at about $300.
“Of course, any amount is helpful, and 100 percent of the donations go toward buying food and supplies with no administrative cost or fees applied,” she said. “Using this program to give students food for the weekend ensures that come Monday morning when they return to school, they will not be hungry and ready to learn. I am passionate about this program and making sure that students have access to food over the weekend and it is run totally on donations and the work of some wonderful and caring volunteers.”
Ryan Roderick, RSU 14 Kitchen Manager, said that the Backpack Program is invaluable.
“It is not uncommon to think that because school meals are free that these kids should already have everything they need. The unfortunate truth is that even though breakfasts and lunches are available to all students, there are still hundreds of children who leave school on Friday afternoon and have no certainty that they will be fed a complete meal until Monday morning when they return to school,” Roderick said. “If that is the case, you can bet those students are going to be the ones struggling to stay focused, stay awake and to be the best version of themselves when they are in attendance. The backpack program helps those children sustain over the weekend, to feel a sense of comfort and normalcy and to be confident knowing they will not have to feel hungry, tired, or irritable by the time they get back to school. Every child deserves to feel happy and energized and to be given the best possible chance to succeed and the Backpack Program is our way to ensure that chance is given.”
Govoni said making a donation to the program can help transform the lives of the RSU 14 students whose lives can be made a little easier with a nutritional meal that is not always available to them.
“We cannot make this program work without the help of our very generous businesses, organizations and residents of Windham and Raymond,” she said. “We are very grateful and cannot thank those who have contributed monetary donations or volunteer their time to help make this program successful.”
In this week's edition of The Windham Eagle, local businesses participated in an advertising holiday greeting fundraiser with a portion of the proceeds benefit the RSU 14 Backpack Program. Thanks to the 95 participants, the newspaper was able to raise over $1,100 for the RSU 14 Backpack Program.
To make a donation helping ensure that the food insecure children of the Windham and Raymond communities are nourished and well fed, mail a check or money order to: School Nutrition Program, Attn: Ryan Roderick, 228 Windham Center Road Windham, ME 04062 Note: Backpack Program.
Online donations can also be made at https://rsu14.androgov.com/ - Select “all other student activities,” fill in your information, for a specific school, select “School Nutrition.” For *Payment Description* write “Backpack Program.”
For more details about the Windham/Raymond Backpack Program, call 207-892-1800, Ext. 2012 or send an email to rroderick@rsu14.org or mgovoni@rsu14.org <
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