An online donation can help feed a hungry child during spring break.
Franklin Hunger Heroes is conducting its annual online fundraiser.
Volunteer Sara Fisk tells you what you need to know about the project.
What is Hunger Heroes?
Franklin Hunger Heroes is a group that is concerned for children in our community struggling with hunger. We came together as a team as a project for Leadership Johnson County and since then have continued on to try to help address this need. We plan to do a fundraiser every February, as we are right now, to raise funds to address the need during spring break and fall break.
What is the fundraiser?
This is the second time we’ve run our online February fundraiser for Franklin Hunger Heroes. In this online fundraiser, we’re asking our community to help with monetary donations. For just $10, you can make sure a child has the food they need over Spring Break that they might not otherwise have. We’re also hoping to raise awareness of the issue of childhood hunger in our community. I think many people don’t realize that this is an issue right here in Franklin.
How can people give?
People can give at gleaners.ejoinme.org/franklinhungerheroes.
How did you get the idea for a fundraiser?
The idea for the fundraiser started with a Leadership Johnson County project and has continued on after the project was completed. Our team knew that children in our community were receiving food assistance during the school week and on weekends (with Gleaner’s BackSacks program), but we wondered what kind of assistance these children were getting while they were on longer breaks such as spring and fall breaks. When we reached out to Gleaners, they also were interested in finding a way to address this need. From that common idea, our collaboration with Gleaners was born.
What will the money be used for?
All funds raised will go to Gleaners for food boxes that will go to children in Franklin Community Schools. Gleaners has actually already worked with us to pack 342 boxes for Spring Break 2016. So we’ve got the food ready to distribute. We’re working on collecting the funds now to pay for those spring break boxes and also to cover us for fall break boxes. Each box of food costs a little over $10. So for just over $20, we can make sure a child has food that they need for both breaks.
Who will be helped with the money?
All children in Franklin elementary schools who are in the BackSacks program will get these boxes. Boxes will be sent to Cub Pantry, which is open to all children in our middle and high schools. We’re working with Franklin Community Schools to make sure that the food is distributed.
