Nearly 5,000 meals were assembled and packed into backpacks by the Kiwanis Club of Ellicott City, Maryland, to make sure children have plenty to eat while at home during the winter holidays. The project took months to plan and execute as members raised money to buy food and backpacks and then filled and distributed the bags.
Club members filled 150 backpacks with 11 days of meals — breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks — totaling nearly 5,000 meals. The backpacks were distributed to elementary and middle school students at a drive-thru event. Additional donations allowed 3,000 pieces of fruit to be distributed in 150 reusable grocery bags.
“I am very proud to be a member of the Kiwanis Club of Ellicott City and of our work this past week to carry out Backpacks for Breaks,” said Jenn Hiscock, club president. “It was excellent serving alongside each other and being able to carry out our commitment to the Howard County community. COVID-19 has thrown many challenges our way, especially related to Backpacks for Breaks, but I am continually amazed at how well our club comes together and overcomes each challenge. Add onto the list of challenges a snowstorm, and we still made it work! Every person throughout the entire project helped to make a difference.”
The club was helped by prospective members, members of the Key Club of Glenelg High School, and members of the Capital Kiwanis Next Generation e-Club, a new club with 17 members, many of whom are former Key Club and CKI members.
The project was successful thanks to partnerships with the Howard County Public School System, the Capital District Kiwanis Foundation and Coastal Sunbelt. The school system identified the students who received the backpacks; the foundation gave the club a US$4,500 grant to buy food for winter break and the April spring break; and Coastal Sunbelt produce company donated the fruit, allowing each student to receive a mixture of apples, oranges and bananas. When a snowstorm derailed the planned delivery, the school system stepped in and picked up the fruit.
