February 08, 2010

Feed The Children agency donating school supplies, books, and food for homeless students

School supplies for homeless students from Feed the Childrenís Homeless Education and Literacy Program (H.E.L.P) will be delivered to Grand Island at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, said Verna Haberman, outreach coordinator for the Grand Island Public Schools.

The supplies will be delivered to the Salvation Army at 818 W. Third St.

Feed The Children is an international nonprofit agency with headquarters in Oklahoma City, Okla., that delivers food, medicine, clothing, and other necessities to individuals who lack these essentials because of famine, poverty, or natural disaster. Feed The Children partners with the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth through public schools for H.E.L.P. to distribute the items.

A semi truck filled with backpacks containing school supplies appropriate for elementary and middle school students, food bags, and children's books arrived in Nebraska on Feb. 4.

Roger Reikofski, homeless coordinator for Title I schools for the Nebraska Department of Education, will deliver 240 backpacks, 24 boxes of food, and one-fourth of a pallet of books to Grand Island on Feb. 11.

Haberman said the items will be distributed to homeless students through three local school district Outreach Center programs: Stuff the Bus, Take a Break, and Food for Thought.

Federal guidelines define homeless children as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, Haberman said. During the 2008-2009 school year, the Outreach Center served 300 students. So far during this school year, the Outreach Center has served 230 students.

H.E.L.P. will distribute approximately 100,000 backpacks during this school year throughout the country, according to Feed The Children's Web site (www.feedthechildren.org).

For more information, contact: Verna Haberman, Outreach Coordinator, Grand Island Public Schools, 1306 W. Third St., (308) 385-5244, (308) 390-4940 (cell phone), vhaberma@gips.org