The West Texas Food Bank recently delivered 550 Food2Kid bags to Bunche Elementary. The Food2Kids program, an initiative by the food bank, aims to provide nutritious meals to students who may lack access to such meals over the weekends.
Autumn Bohannan, the Director of External Affairs at West Texas Food Bank, shared that the program serves approximately 3,500 students each week, emphasizing the impact it has on addressing food insecurity among school-going children.
The Food2Kid bags, a monthly delivery to schools, offer a variety of easily accessible and child-friendly food items. Schools across West Texas have the option to request Food2Kid bags for their students. While every child is eligible to receive a bag, certain factors are considered by teachers and counselors to identify those in need. These factors include participation in the free and reduced lunch program, signs of extreme hunger, unpaid school lunches, and consistent complaints of hunger by students.
"Food2Kids is a beneficial program because the food we provide is easy for children to use," said Autumn Bohannan in an emailed statement to Midland Times. "There are poptop cans in the bag, cereal, juice, shelf-stable milk, vegetables, tuna, ravioli, and fruits. If the parent is out of the house because they're working multiple jobs, then the student will be able to make their own meal easily."
The West Texas Food Bank's Food2Kid program has evolved to include all children’s programming. According to their website, the backpack program will always be the heartbeat of Food 2 Kids, but Food 2 Kids has grown and evolved into one of the most successful programs of the Food Bank. Other programs now included are Kids Café, Summer Feeding, Food 2 Babies Formula Program, and School Pantries.
Oxy, a generous supporter, played a crucial role in fueling the West Texas Food Bank's mission, enabling them to reach agencies across the 19 counties they serve. This partnership ensures the successful delivery of Food2Kid bags to schools, including Bunche Elementary.
To learn more about West Texas Food Bank, visit their website.