We are pleased to introduce you to our December Charity of the Month: Island Harvest’s Weekend Backpack Program.

Founded in 1992, Island Harvest is Long Island’s largest hunger relief organization. Its volunteers and staff deliver millions of pounds of good, surplus food to a network of 570 food pantries, soup kitchens and other non-profits that provide feeding services to those in need. Island Harvest plays a vital role in countering the sharply rising problem of hunger here on Long Island.

Support for Hungry Kids
With Rising Tide’s BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) monies for December, we will contribute to Island Harvest’s Weekend Backpack Feeding Program, designed to supplement meals on the weekends for children who depend on school breakfasts and lunches during the week. The Kids Weekend Backpack Feeding Program provides packs of nutritious, shelf-stable food in 28 schools to 1,729 children on a weekly basis.  These children rely on school lunches and breakfasts, but may not have solid meals on weekends and holidays, when school is out. Each packs contain four nutritious and ready-to-eat meals, two snacks and two servings of milk and juice—and double that amount for holiday breaks. The food packs are distributed with newsletters that include age-appropriate, multilingual games and puzzles encouraging healthy eating, plus information for parents about local food resources.

This supplemental weekend food lets children return to school nourished and better equipped to learn, socialize and excel. During the 2017/2018 school year, approximately 62,500 packs of food will be distributed—bringing thousands of weekend/holiday meals to children who otherwise would go without. Rising Tide is so excited to be able to contribute to their amazing efforts!