Backpack Program granted $3,000

The Coal City Backpack program serves to keep kids nourished and as it begins to wrap up its fifth school year it received a boost from Exelon Generation.
The power generator recently presented the non-profit help organization with a $3,000 grant to aid its efforts to provide supplemental food to children in the Unit 1 School District.
Throughout the school year, the Backpack program provides students in need with supplemental food twice each week—Tuesdays and Fridays. The bags contain items like macaroni and cheese, fruit snacks and fruit cups, juice and crackers.
Established in 2014, the goal of the organization has been to ensure children begin each school week with a full heart and a nourished body so they can grow in mind, body and spirit.
The program is run by Cherie Sieger, Sara Smith and Pam Carlton and the trio reports this year went very well.
“We had the means to allow 155 students to take home food,” Sieger said, adding the twice weekly distribution took place at all five of the district’s schools. This was the first year students at the middle and high schools were included in the distribution.
The program is funded through fundraising and community donations of food and funds to the group’s account at Midland States Bank.
“Everything is so appreciated,” Sieger said.
The organization also receives assistance from other organizations including local Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts who routinely help with packing the food bags and community volunteers who assist with the packaging and delivery of food tubs to each of the schools. Once the bags arrive, school personnel hand them out to qualifying students.
Sieger, Smith and Carlton are planning a fundraising dinner in August to generate funds to support the program during the 2019-2020 school year. Details on the event will be forthcoming.