Help Us Feed a Child During School Weekends and Vacations
BABPP began in 2014 with a small group of volunteers feeding 10 children at Dike-Newell School in Bath. We started by providing bags of food, sourced through the Good Shepherd Food Bank backpack program, to elementary school children.
We have expanded to serve over 200 children from kindergarten through high school in the Bath area, through several channels. We identified broader needs in schools and organizations working with area youth: homeless and hungry children in the middle and high schools; hungry youth using the services of the Midcoast Youth Center; and hungry children and caregivers identified by the YMCA through its mobile Veggie Van program. Working with each of these partners, we now provide food and snacks to a broader group of children. We also distribute fresh produce (provided free by Good Shepherd) monthly through these channels, and now provide 1,200-1,400 lbs. per month.
We continue to provide food bags to Dike-Newell, Woolwich and Phippsburg Elementary schools; stock food pantries at Bath Middle School and Morse High School; and provide snacks at Phippsburg Elementary School. We also supply food and snacks to the Midcoast Youth Center, and the YMCA Veggie Van. We have focused our food purchases on items which are nutritious, popular with kids and easy to prepare or heat.
Every $225.00 raised through donations will continue to provide weekend and school vacation food for one child for the entire school year!
We welcome anyone who would like to join this effort to help eliminate hunger among our school children. We are in need of assistance with grant writing, leadership by businesses and organizations to plan and sponsor fund-raisers, and the monthly packing of each child’s BackPack. email craftynannyo@gmail.com
*Between 43% and 68% of Bath school children (varies from school to school) receive either free or reduced lunch.