Help Us “Stuff The Truck” This Saturday!
Learning on empty, that’s what about 50% percent of Alabama students would be doing if it weren’t for the free or reduced lunch program. The number is even higher in Montgomery County at 60%.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that our students are walking around starving, it just simply means that sometimes the meals that they have a school are the only meals they’ll have for that day and possibly not get the nutrition they need over the course of a weekend or a school holiday break,” said Ferlisa Dotson, an Education Specialist with Montgomery Public Schools.
“In this covid environment we know this has probably amplified it even more with the challenges of the families are having which is why it’s so important especially last year when covid hit,” said Traci Howell, Executive Director of Tie and Doll, Inc.
For the last 6 years, Tracy Howell’s organization Tie and Doll, Inc, has teamed up with Alabama News Network and Winn-Dixie to do something about Alabama’s student hunger issue within the Montgomery Public School system. With the community’s help, we’ve been able to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of students with the annual Stuff the Truck Food Drive.
“Any donation is helpful, we were able to provide meals for over 30 families last year at one our elementary schools; this year it’s a high school and so any little bit helps; it all adds up,” said Dotson.
Research shows kids dealing persistent hunger miss more days of school than well fed children.
The food collected during the food drive will be stuffed into backpacks, which will then be handed out to students who could really use the help.
The Stuff the Truck Food Drive will be Saturday, August 28th at the Sturbridge Winn-Dixie in Montgomery from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Community members are encouraged to stop by and make a donation.
For some suggestions on what to donate, click here.
