The Rutherford County Backpack Program serves approximately 900 food insecure students throughout our county. Students are supplied with food items to bridge the weekend gap during the school year. School-level coordinators tackle the logistics of helping to secure donations, pack bags, and ensure discreet distribution to students in need.Research shows that food-insecure students score lower than food-secure peers on standardized testing and measures of child intelligence and are more likely to repeat a grade, need psychological services and struggle getting along with peers.
Housed within the Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation, the Backpack Program is primarily supported through fundraising efforts of RCSEF, community donations, and grant funding. Recognizing the needs of RCSNC students, in 2015 the RHI Legacy Foundation generously partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina to provide backpacks of food monthly. Truck Service of Forest City volunteers bimonthly transport of Second Harvest Backpacks from Charlotte to their local warehouse. The Rutherford County Schools Maintenance Department and Outreach Specialists distribute these bags to each individual school.
RCS BACKPACK PARTNERS
For more information:
Lisa Bralley, Backpack Program
Coordinator
828-289-1717
[email protected]
In addition to the RCS Backpack Program, we also specifically support our homeless student population through our Helping Hands for Homeless Students Initiative by providing resources and supplies to families who meet certain criteria through the McKinney-Vento Program.