The Rotary Club of St. Michaels presented Megan Cook of the Care Packs organization with a one thousand dollar check Wednesday, November 11th at the weekly Rotary meeting. The club traditionally supports Care Packs by volunteering to stuff the food bags that get distributed to students at all five elementary schools in Talbot County as well as Easton Middle School.
Megan Cook told the group that the number of students receiving the additional food support is rising. Currently Care Packs is producing three hundred and fifty food bags a month and reaches only a portion of children who would benefit from the added nutrition. “Children are identified as presenting with some level of food insecurity by either hording food in their backpacks or visiting the nurse’s office regularly complaining of hunger or headaches” Cook told the club. The children who receive Care Packs are nominated by an agent in the school system that sees consistent signs of food related anxiety. All children who are selected already qualify for Free and Reduced Priced Meals (F.A.R.M). Roughly 45% of students in Talbot County qualify for that program. The population of Free and Reduced Meals students increases each year which truly validates the need for supplemental food programs like Care Packs. “We don’t serve all the 45% of F.A.R.M students, but for those identified we fill a very important role.”
Care Packs is an entirely volunteer organization run by Megan Cook and Emily Moody who is the Family Liaison for Title 1 students in Talbot County. With strong leadership and community support, the organization has been able to increase its productivity tremendously. “Care Packs can stretch the pennies out of a dollar” continued Cook. “We buy bulk food that stores well and is easily open and prepared by students.” Volunteering time to help pack the food is deeply valuable and appreciated, which is how the Rotary Club of St. Michaels first started their relationship, but learning the truth about how much the monetary donations fill the cabinets inspired their recent donation. “Care Packs is an important program to help feed the kids that aren’t getting enough food at home. The St. Michaels Rotary Club is in its third year of helping pack the food in bags. This year we have deepened our commitment to contribute to the program by giving a check for $1,000.00 to help support it” Don Goodliffe (St. Michaels Rotary Club)
The Rotary Club of St. Michaels is one of 34,000 Rotary clubs that make up the largest service organization in the world. Rotary International is a volunteer organization of 1.2 million business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help build goodwill and peace. In addition to participating in national and international activities of Rotary, the St. Michaels club has 46 members and is involved in a variety of service activities in St. Michaels and greater Bay Hundred community. For more information visit rotarystm.org. CarePacks can be reached at eescarepacks.org
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