News Article
WBCT Donates to Food2Kids
Published on: July 30, 2015
Winder-Barrow Community Theatre is leading the way once again with kids helping kids in Barrow County. “Holka Polka” was the WBCT children’s show held July 17-19 with a cast made up of about 30 children and teens from ages 5 to 17. $1.00 from every ticket that was sold was donated to Food2Kids with $307 being donated by WBCT. An additional $340 was donated by audience members to help support the program. WBCT has been an ongoing supporter of the Barrow Food2Kids program helping to spread the word about children in our community facing weekend hunger. This most recent donation will sponsor 2.5 students in the program! This year’s projection is 200 students being served by Food2Kids.
The Food2Kids program began in Barrow County in 2008 with 8 students in the entire school system being identified by teachers, counselors, and social workers as needing this weekly assistance due to hunger issues noted at school. By 2010 the number of food insecure students grew from 8 to 60, and by May 2015 the school year ended with 189 students being served. Childhood hunger is a very real program in our neighborhoods. The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia sponsors this program in Barrow and other surrounding counties; and they purchase, pack, and distribute kid-friendly food-bags weekly to school systems who in turn distribute to individual students. The kid-friendly weekend Food2Kids bag of food lasts each student from Friday evening to Sunday evening. With the Food Bank of NEGA being a non-profit agency, then the $260.00 donation for each child is tax deductible. The projected student need in Barrow County is 200 students this school year, and the fundraising goal for Barrow County Food2Kids is $52,000.00.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the Barrow Food2Kids program and ways to donate or help, please contact Ellen Petree, School & Community Relations Specialist at 770-867-4527 or ellen.petree@barrow.k12.ga.us or Shannon Derrick, BCSS Food2Kids Coordinator, at shannon.derrick@barrow.k12.ga.us.
Photo: left to right: Ellen Petree, Shannon Derrick, Tery Overbey (WBCT President), and Pam Veader (WBCT Treasurer)
