At a ceremony with Port Orchard Mayor Rob Putaansuu, leaders from the Suquamish Tribe presented Tish VanRavenhorst, founder of the Backpacks for Kids Food Program, with a $10,000 check that will allow the program to deliver more than 1,800 backpacks filled with food to students in the South Kitsap School District.
The Backpacks for Kids Food Program started in 2007. The program partners with the South Kitsap School District to provide food for children over the weekends. Each week, packs are filled with practical, shelf-stable and kid-friendly foods. These packs are then delivered to the schools, where staff confidentially and discreetly distribute them. These types of programs have been shown to increase attendance, decrease behavior problems, improve concentration abilities and boosy academic achievement.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Suquamish Tribe for their generous contribution to Backpacks for Kids,” said VanRavenhorst. “This vital support comes at a time when we are rebuilding from a devastating crisis, and it will have a lasting impact on families in the South Kitsap community who are facing food insecurity. Together, we are ensuring that students in our area have access to the food they need to thrive, and we are reminded of the strength and generosity of community partnerships.”
The tribe became aware of the program’s funding needs after talking with Mayor Putaansuu, who said that the program recently lost most of its food supply due to a mouse getting into its food storage.
“I would like to share my sincere gratitude to the Suquamish Tribe for their generous donation to Backpacks for Kids,” he said. “Your donation will help ensure that children in South Kitsap will not go hungry this holiday season, and that is a gift I will be forever grateful for.”
The Suquamish Tribe and its economic development arm, Port Madison Enterprises, have made numerous, substantial contributions to social service programs, including a donation of $50,000 in May to the Bremerton Salvation Army to support housing for children and adults.
“Kitsap County is within our ancestral homelands, and through our contributions, we hope to ensure that families across the region have access to the essential resources they need to thrive,” said Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribe. “Programs like Backpacks for Kids promote the well-being of the entire community, which is a principle we uphold among our traditional tribal values.”
Learn more about Backpacks for Kids in South Kitsap.
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