The mission of First Coast Blessings in a Backpack is made achievable through the countless donations and gifts our organization receives each day. In August, we were honored to be named the recipient of a $20,000 gift from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.

This donation allowed us to provide 167 vulnerable First Coast children with weekend meals for an entire school year. Tens of thousands of children across Northeast Florida rely on school for their only nutritious meals during the week. These students, along with the nearly 5,000 children who receive Blessings in a Backpack every Friday, can now count on healthy, delicious meals over the weekend.

“The children served through this award attend four Blessings partner schools and were identified last school year by their school nurse or guidance counselor as being malnourished and/or suffering from chronic food insecurity,” said Susan W. Evans, chapter director for First Coast Blessings.

This award “could not have come at a more critical time,” Evans continued. “While we continue to increase the amount of meals we can provide each school year, approximately 90,000 students across Northeast Florida qualify for our program, and our wait list continues to grow.”

The consequences of childhood hunger are much more than a growling stomach. Poor nutrition can result in a weakened immune system, increased hospitalization, shorter attention spans, and lower academic achievement. These situations have only grown worse as classrooms continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We want to make sure a weekend at home means getting the same nutritious meals provided by federal programs during the week.

“Thanks to this generous award, these children can count on having something healthy and delicious to eat every single weekend throughout this new school year,” Evans said. “It is both powerful and opportune and we could not be more grateful.”

This support from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund—our first such gift from the Fund—makes our goals more achievable and improves the lives of children in need across our community.

You can help provide healthy food and a secure nutritional safety net for local children by visiting our ‘Get Involved’ page and exploring the various ways to lend a helping hand, including volunteer opportunities, employee engagement opportunities, and more.

Much like the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund, your help today can lead to a better tomorrow.