Spring Branch ISD Featured News

 

A gathering of hearts and minds was held this semester in a Spring Branch ISD meeting room: leaders of six area organizations, instrumental in providing weekend food to more than 1,700 district students, came together to listen and learn from each other.

Abby Walker, SBISD’s coordinator of strategic partnerships and volunteers, told the lunchtime gathering, “I think it is nice that we are meeting as we break bread together.”

“We know it is hard for kids to concentrate on learning when they are hungry. We are so appreciative of all you do to support our students, so that on Mondays they can come to school ready to learn,” said Walker.

Meeting representatives included:

• Chapelwood United Methodist Church
• Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
• Memorial Drive United Methodist Church
• Holy Spirit Episcopal Church’s Bayou City Blessings in a Backpack
• Houston Food Bank
• Tallowood Baptist Church

Collectively, these groups serve students at 13 SBISD schools by donating packets of food that students carry home from school on Fridays to ensure they have a supply of nutritious food during the weekend.

Typically, the 8 ½ pound package contains two each of the following items: canned fruit, rice, canned vegetables, servings of protein such as tuna, snack, cereal, rice and shelf-stable milk.

Volunteers from each organization, some with the help of Sister School PTA groups and National Honor Society students from SBISD high schools, help distribute the food to the schools each Friday. The food is unobtrusively put into the backpacks of the students who are registered to receive it.

During the recent convening, the weekend food providers learned from representatives of the SBISD Child Nutrition Services (CNS) team about the food students receive at school. The CNS program must adhere to federal regulations that limit serving sizes and align with nutritional guidelines.

The CNS team expressed appreciation for the weekend food programs’ help with providing dietary support to high students in need.

At the gathering, program representatives also heard from each other about best practices for obtaining and distributing food.

Each group uses a slightly different model, but the results are the same: kids are getting a consistent supply of nutrition for the weekend.

While some organizations use their members to purchase, assemble and distribute the food, many partner with the Houston Food Bank’s BackpackBuddy program, which often has fresh products to distribute as well. One weekend backpack load of food in this program costs $4.16.

The Food Bank also provides recipes with the food (Who knew you could make delicious pancakes from lentils?) as part of their advocacy campaign with families receiving services.

In collaboration with the Houston Food Bank, Chapelwood United Methodist will begin delivering food to Spring Branch Elementary on one Saturday each month beginning in October so neighborhood residents can also pick up free supplies of food.

Separately, Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church operates a food pantry every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The volunteers from Bayou City Blessings in a Backpack expand their impact in the schools they serve by providing “Beyond the Blessings” treats for teacher appreciations and school literacy nights. The volunteer group includes students from Wilchester Elementary, Stratford High School and Holy Spirit Episcopal Church.

Food for thought:

There is a current need for weekend food deliveries at several other SBISD schools. Two in particular are hoping for a partnership like the ones described above: Pine Shadows Elementary and Spring Forest Middle School. Anyone with the desire and ability to help should contact Abby Walker, Abigail.walker@springbranchisd.com. 

By Becky Wuerth, SBISD Communications

Becky.wuerth@springbranchisd.com