September 2019 Newsletter - Feed the Bay Backpack Program
Welcome to the Feed the Bay Backpack Program monthly newsletter. The goal of the newsletter is to keep many people aware of the program initiatives, upcoming events and needs for either food items or volunteers. Please feel free to distribute this newsletter to others who may be interested in participating so we can connect them with the appropriate contacts.
Purpose: Each school year, approximately 1 in 4 students in the Anchor Bay School District qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. To qualify for this program, students must be considered “at risk for food insecurity” and these students are provided with a nutritious hot lunch Monday through Friday, but not the weekends. The goal of the Feed the Bay Backpack Program is to ensure that every at-risk student in the Anchor Bay School District has access to food over the weekend, so that they show up at school on Monday, well-nourished and ready to learn.
The Feed the Bay Backpack Program is a 100% volunteer-run, community-supported program. Just $175 provides a student with food on the weekends for 32 weeks during the school year. All food and monetary donations are tax-deductible. To find out more, donate or volunteer with the Feed the Bay Backpack Program, Email us at feedthebayNB@gmail.com. Find us on Facebook at: facebook.com/feedthebaynb. Or, Phone us at 586-330-0626 and ask to speak to one of our committee chairs to see how you can get involved with this program.
Packing Committee- Julie/Chris McLellan, Deb Beach / Pantry Committee-Becky Farris / Volunteer Committee-Darlene Nowaczyk
SPECIAL NOTES & RECOGNITION
· CATCHING UP FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR MAY 8, 2019, SPECIAL SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO THE SUGARBUSH ELEMENTARY STUDENT COUNCIL for volunteering for the packing night. They helped to pack 428 bags.
· Sept 23 – Oct 25 Ross Medical Education Feed the Bay Food Drive - school will be collecting individual serving cereal boxes. Thank you in advance for your willingness and generosity that will greatly benefit families in the Anchor Bay School District.
· Oct 1 – Nov 1 Anchor Bay Middle School North Feed the Bay Food Drive – school will be collecting 100% fruit juice boxes. Thank you for your dedication and desire to help those in and around your community
· Group Volunteer Nights - This school year Feed the Bay will again have two packing nights and two inventory nights a month in which individuals can volunteer. What has changed is one of the four nights will be dedicated to just “group” volunteers to allow large groups to set up nights ahead of time and allow enough openings for their entire group. To reserve a “group” packing or inventory night, please send an email to feedthebaynb@gmail.com or contact Darlene Nowaczyk 586.330.0626. Available Group Nights:
Group Packing Nights – Oct 9, Dec 4, Feb 12, Apr 22,
Group Inventory Nights - Nov 13, Jan 8, Mar 4, May 13
· Individual Volunteer Nights – Three opportunities per month to volunteer for either packing or inventory nights. Please go to Sign-up genius to check available volunteer nights and sign up. Feed the Bay is very fortunate to have so many AWESOME volunteers. We appreciate every single one of you.
APPROVED FOOD ITEMS:
** The standard items below are always in need to meet our packing night requirements. **
INDIVIDUAL SNACKS | MEATS & MEALS |
Animal Crackers + Other indiv. snack pack items | Pull-top canned chicken or tuna (4.5 oz) |
Fruit Snacks | Pull-top canned microwaveable Chef Boyardee (7.5 oz) |
Granola or Cereal Bars | Pull-top canned Vienna Sausages (5 oz) |
Pull-top Pudding Snack Packs | Easy Mac 'n' Cheese (2-3 oz) |
Other (any individually wrapped snack pack sizes) |
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BREAKFAST & JUICES | FRUITS & VEGETABLES |
Individual cereal boxes (8-10 oz. single boxes) | Pull-top canned Vegetables (8pack - 5 oz. cans) |
Individual oatmeal packages (box of 8-10 singles) | Pull-top Individual Fruit Cups (7 oz) |
Milk Drink Boxes (shelf preserved) | Fruit Pouches |
Fruit Juice Boxes (6.75 oz. No pouches please) |
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** Feed the Bay appreciates every food item and monetary donation. Please look at the package sizes requested and those to avoid in the list above as there are certain food packages that tend to break open and create a mess or are too heavy for the children during the transit home. **
PACKING AND DISTRIBUTION LOCATION: !! If you are interested in becoming a packing volunteer or have a group interested, contact: Darlene Nowaczyk , feedthebayNB@gmail.com Phone: 586-330-0626 Packing Location: Anchor Bay Transportation Building, 51890 Washington St, New Baltimore 48047 Located next to AB Middle School North. It is the white building to the left of the school. Look for the Feed the Bay sign right by the entrance door. Packing Night Coordinators Julie & Chris McLellan and Deb Beach alternate packing nights and are on site during the event to coordinate the volunteer efforts. Packing/Inventory dates for 2019 and future 2020 nights are listed below.
FEED THE BAY - Packing Nights | Pack Location: AB Transporation Building
51890 Washington St
New Baltimore, MI 48047 | Packing Nights (Wednesdays) | 2019 2020 | Sept 25 7:00pm | Jan 15 7:00pm | Oct 23 7:00pm | Jan 29 7:00pm | Nov 6 7:00pm | Feb 26 7:00pm | Nov 20 7:00pm | Mar 11 7:00pm | Dec 18 7:00pm | Mar 26 7:00pm |
| May 6 7:00pm | Inventory Nights (Wednesdays) | 2019 2020 | Sept 18 7:00pm | Jan 22 7:00pm | Oct 2 7:00pm | Feb 5 7:00pm | Oct 16 7:00pm | Feb 19 7:00pm | Oct 30 7:00pm | Mar 18 7:00pm | Dec 11 7:00pm | Apr 15 7:00pm |
| Apr 29 7:00pm |
Note: Each packing night prepares bags for 4-6 week distributions or about 690 bags. It is very organized, moves swiftly and will take 30-45 minutes of your time. Please see below for volunteer sign up instructions VOLUNTEERS FOR PACKING and INVENTORY NIGHTS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO sign up at Signup Genius Ø Please go to http://www.signupgenius.com Ø Click the magnifying glass in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Ø Find the ‘Search for A Sign Up’ dialog box (by sign up creator’s email) and type feedthebaynb@gmail.com Ø Click the check box for I am not a robot, wait for the green checkmark, and click the Search button. The screen will return the Feed the Bay Backpack Program logo. Under the backpack, Click ‘Feed The Bay Packing and Inventory Nights’ Ø Scroll to find the appropriate packing/inventory night you desire. If there ARE open slots, click the Sign Up checkbox for that date. Click ‘Submit and Signup’ button at the bottom of the screen. If there are NO open slots for the date you desire, please scroll down to other dates with open slots Ø Enter your name, email address, comments (optional), and number of volunteers you are signing up. Ø Click ‘Sign Up Now’. Register for more dates or close the window if complete (Max sign up is 5 nights per person to give everyone a fair opportunity to volunteer) Note: The site will send an email reminder 2 days before the volunteer date.
FEED THE BAY - Current Bag Distribution | Location Name | Current Bag Count | AB High School | 16 | AB Middle School South | 31 | AB Middle School North | 4 | Ashley Elementary | 9 | Compass Pointe | 1 | Great Oaks | 2 | Lighthouse | 10 | Lottie Schmidt Element. | 6 | MacDonald Pre-school | 0 | Maconce Elementary | 107 | Naldrett Elementary | 3 | Sugarbush Elementary | 14 | Total Bags/week | 203 |
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FEED THE BAY CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email: feedthebayNB@gmail.com Phone/Voicemail: 586-330-0626
Packing Committee: Darlene Nowaczyk
Pantry Committee: Becky Farris
Volunteer Committee: Darlene Nowaczyk
Newsletter Coordinator: Lynne Cardeccia
