NEWS

Nestucca Valley Backpack Program 2020 / 2021

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During the fall of 2019, we opened the Food Closet at the high school in order to better serve high school students. The participation was exceptional, well over 100 visits per week by students. In addition to this, we continued the Backpack Program to high school and grade school students until the schools closed and instituted distance learning, due to COVID-19 in March. For the duration of the 2019-2020 school year, we provided family food bags that were picked up by the families at the high school on Fridays.

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The Nestucca Valley Schools have used distance learning for the first two quarters of the 2020-2021 school year. They have valiantly provided lunches to the students, delivering them daily to pick up locations like bus routes. They have also included our Backpack Program food bags on Fridays. This has enabled us to provide weekend food bags (plastic not backpacks) to about 185 students each week. This is triple our usual number. It is undecided whether the schools will try a “hybrid” learning model starting in the third quarter. If so, there will most likely be a continued food delivery and our numbers will hold steady.

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As of now, we have enough money from so many generous donations to finish this school year. Since we will be unable to hold a fundraiser in the fall, we still encourage donations so as not to be without money for the 2021-2022 school year. This next year is likely to still be difficult for our families.

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Many of our volunteers are high risk and unable to participate in this greatly enlarged volunteer effort. We have had a number of new volunteers to whom we are deeply grateful. Please let us know if you're interested, we could still use more help!