GRAFTON, Wis. — A Grafton charity is helping make sure the next generation of schoolchildren never go hungry on the weekend.
Through Family Sharing's Bags in Backpacks (or BIBS) program, more than 180 kids across Ozaukee County receive food to take home every Friday. Each bag contains a variety of fresh and non-perishable food items, meant to last for the entire weekend.
Food pantry director Todd Bugnacki helped pilot the program during his final year as Superintendent for the Cedarburg School District. He says it's about fighting food insecurity by providing nutritious meals.
"We don't want students going home and thinking about, 'hey where's my food gonna come from,'" Bugnacki said. "Then when they come to school on Monday, they're thinking about breakfast and hot lunch, and they're not thinking about academics."
Volunteer groups help pack up the bags in an assembly line format each week. Brittany White is a part of one of those groups, Rise 2020.
"This is just a way to give back to a place that has meant a lot to our family," White said. "The intent is that kids have enough to carry them through the weekend."
After the bags are loaded up, Don Symmonds is responsible for driving and delivering the bags to 20 schools across the county.
"(We deliver to) public, parochial, whoever is signed up," Symmonds said. "It feels good to be able to help out somebody else who is less fortunate."
Schools submit a request for bags each week based on the current needs of their students. Once the bags are delivered to the schools, administrators distribute the bags discreetly by dropping them in student backpacks.
Family Sharing operates both a food pantry and a resale boutique. Both are open to the public. For more information on how to donate, click here.
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