By Jesse Davis
A local program to feed hungry students got a second boost after an affiliate of a prior donor decided to add their own money to the pot.
After previously receiving $5,000 from the Swanton American Legion Murbach-Siefert Post #479 in March, Swanton’s Backpack Buddies Program was presented with a check for an additional $1,500 from the Squadron #479 Sons of the American Legion, Swanton, Ohio, during a special ceremony Thursday evening.
The 15-year-old program provides participating students with a backpack full of food each week in order to ensure access to meals during the gap between lunch on Friday and school beginning on Monday. The bags are unmarked so as to not identify participants, and are handed out by National Honors Society Students.
“[The donation] will give us extra funding to go on for next year,” volunteer Stephanie Moran said. “School’s almost over – we still need it to move forward with it – and also we are helping out with the library program.”
She said the library provides meals Monday through Friday for 20 to 60 kids all summer long.
According to Moran, representatives from the Sons of the American Legion saw media coverage of the Swanton American Legion’s donation and decided they also wanted to help.
Sons of the American Legion Finance Officer Phil Leidigh said the organization likes to keep their donations local and that they were interested in supporting the program’s cause of feeding hungry children and their families.
“That goes unsaid and it goes unnoticed,” he said.