Local Couple Working to Support Long Beach Elementary with Blessings in a Backpack

The following is from a letter from Adam Parks, released to Oswego 308:

My name is Adam Parks and my wife Gina is a teacher in your district at Long Beach Elementary. 

I am writing to you today regarding a fundraiser that we are hosting for Long Beach on February 2nd at the Foundry (85 Executive Drive, Aurora).

For the past 10 years my wife has been telling me about the free and reduced lunch programs at her school.  We have always wished we could do something to make a difference.  This past Summer I met the Executive Director and CEO of Blessings in a Backpack (and the topic of Gina’s school came up.

What this organization does is Sends backpacks full of food home with the kids on weekends during the school year who would otherwise go hungry.  For as little as $80.00 you can fund a child for an entire school year. 

Blessings In A Backpack provides some of the 12 million elementary schoolchildren who are on the federal Free And Reduced Price Meal Program with a backpack of food to take home for 38 weekends during the school year. Backpack foods include easy-to-prepare, ready-to-eat foods like granola bars, juice boxes, mac and cheese, and oatmeal. Nearly 62,000 children in 437 schools and in 42 states and 3 countries are currently being fed by Blessings In A Backpack.

Anyway, so I got involved and got them to officially adopt Long Beach Elementary so long as I could raise enough money to fund the program.  I happen to know quite a lot of people in the Naperville area and have asked for help. 

People came out in force and we are about to hold one of the biggest fundraisers Naperville has seen in a long time.  

If you are interested in participating, please visit the event on Facebook for more information and sign up here for the event or to donate. 

Event sign up for pre-registration ends Friday at 5:00 p.m.