Graham Backpack Buddies making a difference in students' lives
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Kerrie Ribble (right of the Kiwanis logo), coordinator of Graham Backpack Buddies, accepts bags of child friendly pop-top container snacks and meals along with a monetary check from the Graham Kiwanis International Club after their regular scheduled meeting on Aug. 22 at the North Central Texas College auditorium. (Leader photo by Timothy J. O’Malley)
While some people call it a labor of love, there are those who simply see a need and respond.
Kerrie Ribble, coordinator of Graham Backpack Buddies, shared how her and the group of volunteers ranging from 15-20 people, are entering their 12th year meeting the physical and emotional needs of Head Start early learning students through high school students in Graham.
“You see on television the starving children around the world. I used to think how I could help them, that is until I heard a lady make a presentation at my church about the economically disadvantaged children right here in our own town of Graham,” Ribble said. “It was above 50% and that is when it opened my eyes. God was probing me to serve kids in Graham that they not be overlooked. While there are children suffering of hunger around the world we have children suffering right here in Graham. Children deal with a lot these days and should not have to deal with being hungry.”
Since Graham Backpack Buddies’ inception 11 years ago Ribble said they have served 635 students distributing 30,666 bags.
“Each bag is approximately $3 each week which is $117 a year per student,” she said.
Graham Backpack Buddies is an agency with the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank Childhood Hunger program. They are also in association with Graham Area United Way. They provide a bag of shelf stable food supplied weekly to each student enrolled during the school year.
The bags consist of shelf stable milk, proteins (pop-top meals, peanut butter, fruit cups/dried fruit, etc.) trail mix, cereals and one extra snack item.
“We provide all child friendly pop-top container snacks or meals,” Ribble said.
“Every year is filled with returning students, some new to the community and some who are in and out because of the instability of the home,” She continued. “Without continued community support, our students, who rely on the free breakfast and lunches during the school year, may be going without the basic human need of food on the weekends.”
For the rest of the story, see the Wednesday, Aug. 28 edition of The Graham Leader.
