Program Information
This year is a milestone season for the Blessings in a Backpack program, celebrating the programs first year of operation outside of Jefferson County. The ?Blessings in a Backpack? is a program being initiated in Henry County through the efforts of three University of Louisville graduate students,in partnership with the Eminence School?s Family Resource Center and Kentucky Harvest. This program is designed to help meet the nutritional needs of children and families over weekends. Every Friday afternoon, volunteers will fill selected student's backpacks with non-perishable food items. The program will begin by focusing on 35 Eminence preschool and elementary students. It is our hopes to expand this to program to over 100 students in the next school year. This program is limited to those students utilizing the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.Eminence is a rural city located in Henry County, Kentucky. Eminence is located 69 miles northwest of Lexington; and 65 miles southwest of Cincinnati, Ohio. The city is located 38 miles (northeast) from downtown Louisville between I-64 (Shelbyville) and I-71 (La Grange). It is 25 miles from the Gene Snyder. Currently, the Eminence population is just over 2,200 with just over 4,000 total persons residing within the Eminence Independent School District.
For More Detailed Program Information, View our Program Proposal (PDF Format) Program Proposal Here
Program Goals
The ?Blessings in a Backpack? ambitious program goals include: 1) Helping meet the nutritional needs of children ?in need? by providing weekend meals; and 2) Generating public awareness on the issue of child hunger within Henry County, Kentucky and the larger Louisville Metropolitan region.Statistics
- Each meal costs only 33 cents
- 18% of all Children in Henry County are living in Poverty (2000 US Census Data)
- 581 Students attend an Eminence Independent School
- 288 Students attend Eminence Elementary School
- 167 Eminence Elementary students participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program (63%)
- The maximum monthly food stamp benefit in 2004 for a family of four is $471 or $1.31 per person per meal... The average per-person monthly benefit is $84 or 93 cents per meal. some households only receive the minimum benefit of $10.
- A household may not participate in the Food Stamp Program if it has more than $2,000 in savings or other assets ($3,000 for households with elderly or disabled members).
- Minimum Wage is 30 percent lower in purchasing power than it was, on average, in the 1970s
- Kentucky Currently ranks 6th for most children in poverty, with 20.7% of all children in poverty.
- Of the 994,182 children that live in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 508,526 are utilizing the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.
- 63% of all children in the Eminence Independent School District are utilizing the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.
- 77% of all families in Kentucky are eligible for food stamps,
with 198,530 currently receiving them, 776 of those children are in
Henry County.
Facts based on the 2006 statistics compilation available at: Childrens Defense Fund
Statistics also based in part from the Kentucky 2006 Kids Count Data available at: Kentucky Kids Count Website
Further Program Information:
- Phase 1: 2007 Spring School Term
(Pilot Program)
- There are approximately 9 weeks remaining in the 2006/2007 school year calendar in which students will receive food through the Blessings in a Backpack program.
- 36 students will receive 6 meals on Friday afternoon fur the duration of the 2007 spring term.
- Weekly Operating cost with 36 childen is $71.28 ($1.98 per student, per week * 36 students= $71.28 weekly operating costs)
- Total program cost to serve 36 students for the 8 Fridays remaining in the 2006/2007 school year is estimated at $570.24; to date, $320 has been donated towards this goal.
Phase 2: 2007/2008 School Year Operations- There are around 35 Fridays in which students would receive food through our program.
- The cost for this program is approximately .33 cents per meal, or $1.98/per student, per week; the existing partnership between Kentucky Harvest enables such a low cost per meal.
- Each student would receive at 6 meals, costing $1.98 a weekend (.33 * 6= $1.98)
- Program costs for one weekend will be around $247.50 (125 students * $1.98 for 6 meals)
- The vision for the 2007/2008 school year is to expand service delivery to an estimated 125 students per week; program expansion will require an annual program operating fund of $8,662.
How You Can Help
1. Monetary Donations:Since we are able to receive food at a reduced rate, every dollar donated to the Foodbank translates into $15 worth of food! (1 dollar can provide between 3-5 meals).
Contact one of the people listed below. All money donated is tax deductible as we are a 501(c)3 organization.
Option 2 for Smaller Monetary Donations:
Click the link below to pay using Paypal. All money donated will be used to purchase food, and will come with a copy of the purchased foods receipt mailed to you in the amount of the donation.
Any Help is Sincerely Appreciated!
Contact Information (Email Preferred)
1-800-USA-4FOOD
or Email US!
weekendfoodforkids@gmail.com
Eminence Independent Schools: 502-845-5427
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Current Program Sponsors:
| WHAS Channel 11 |  |
Henry County Local Newspaper |  |
| Eminence Independent Schools |  |
Kentucky Harvest |  |
| Snappy Tomato Pizza |  |
University of Louisville |  |
| Henry County Womens Missionary Union |  |
