All Bainbridge Island schools have approximately 16 weeks per year of breaks. During these breaks, food from schools are no longer available to students. Rotary, in partnership with Helpline House, provides a weekly meal bag to any Bainbridge youth (ages 0-18) in need. The Rotary Youth Food Committee is now preparing for the upcoming 2024 Summer Break. Beginning the week of June 17th and going through the week of September 2nd, these meal bags will be available at Helpline. Each bag contains food for approximately 1 week for one young person. Starting this Summer we are calling them “Kids’ Pantry Bags” to more closely align with Helplines website. Helpline is also working to get more of these youth signed up at Helpline so they may receive more benefits than just food.
The Youth Food Committee currently has enough dedicated volunteers to advertise these bags throughout the community, order food, pick it up from Safeway and deliver to Helpline as well as to deliver to youngsters/families unable to pick up the food bags. Thanks goes to: Pat Callan, Lee Evans, Toby Miller, Craig Nelson, Paul Tice, Bob Yaeger for all they do to make this possible.
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By Mary Frances Callan