Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP) was recently the recipient of two grants; one from the Mankato Clinic Foundation for $4,500 and one for $5,000 from Archer Daniels Midland Company. Both grants will be used toward funding for the BackPack Food Program.
The BackPack Food Program discreetly provides low-income students with packs of nutritious, child-friendly meals to take home for weekends and school breaks. Launched in March 2010, enrollment currently exceeds 740 students at all eleven Mankato elementary schools. As community support increases, FOCP will implement the BackPack Food Program at Saint Clair, Lake Crystal, and Maple River East and West elementary schools. "These grants will help to provide weekend hunger relief for area elementary-school students." said Melinda Wedzina, executive director of FOCP. "With the expansion of the program to the outlying elementary schools in Blue Earth County in the 2015-16 school year, we need funding like this to not only maintain the currently enrolled schools, but also to help feed the estimated 200 extra students that will join the program in the fall." The Mankato Clinic Foundation provides resources to organizations and endeavors that effectively promote and improve community health and wellness. Since the primary focus of the Foundation is to support health and well-being of the community, projects and programs supported include education and scholarships initiatives focused on health care, health education and wellness. The physicians at the Mankato Clinic provide the majority of the Foundation funding as a means to give back to the community by providing support to organizations which strive to improve health and wellness. Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis and are considered only through the application process. Applications can be obtained at mankatoclinic.com. The Archer Daniels Midland Company donation was given through ADM Cares. ADM Cares is a social investment program that directs funds to initiatives and organizations that drive meaningful social, economic and environmental progress worldwide. The program comprises three distinct focus areas: supporting the responsible development of agriculture, improving the quality of life in ADM communities and fostering employee giving and volunteer activities. MANKATO, MN (May 18, 2015) – The Bemis Company Foundation recently awarded a $5,000 grant to Mankato’s BackPack Food Program, an initiative of Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP). The BackPack Food Program discreetly provides low-income students at all eleven Mankato public elementary schools with packs of nutritious, child-friendly meals to take home for weekends and school breaks.
“We will use this funding to provide weekend hunger relief for the 740 kids that we currently serve,” said Melinda Wedzina, FOCP’s executive director, “and for expansion of the program in the upcoming school year. This funding comes at the right time.” During the 2015-16 school year, the BackPack Food Program will expand to include the four county elementary schools of Maple River East and West, Lake Crystal, and Saint Clair. “Supporting our local Bemis communities with our contributions to effective non-profit organizations, like Feeding Our Communities Partners, is the mission of the Bemis Company Foundation,” said Kim Wetzel, foundation director. “We applaud their concerted efforts with the BackPack Food Program and are happy they operate in the Mankato community where we have our Bemis Healthcare Packaging facility. Without this program's seamless and thoughtful delivery of food stuffs, many students and their younger siblings would be under-nourished and less able to thrive.” About Bemis Company, Inc. (“Bemis” or the “Company”): Bemis is a major supplier of flexible packaging used by leading food, consumer products, healthcare, and other companies worldwide. Founded in 1858, Bemis reported 2014 net sales from continuing operations of $4.3 billion. Bemis has a strong technical base in polymer chemistry, film extrusion, coating and laminating, printing, and converting. Headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin, Bemis employs approximately 17,000 individuals worldwide. More information about Bemis is available at www.bemis.com About Feeding Our Communities Partners: FOCP is a nonprofit organization focused on ending hunger locally. With a mission of optimizing collaboration and developing initiatives to decrease hunger, FOCP directs the BackPack Food Program, a service-gap initiative to relieve childhood weekend hunger. FOCP is a partner agency of the Greater Mankato Area United Way. For further information, please visit: www.FeedingOurCommunitiesPartners.org |
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