Food - it's essential and scarcity of an essential is concerning. For most of us, food is a pleasure and much of our days are consumed with thinking with satisfaction about it. For some, lack of food consumes thoughts of desperation and despair. We live in the richest country in the world; food should not be such an issue. But the truth is, lack of nutritious food for all is of paramount concern.
Reports of children and their families going without food because the schools are closed is on the rise.
It is the desire of South Shore Rotary to purchase food for students in impoverished areas, as funds allow, so they have food to eat over the weekends. The food will be placed in regular backpacks, to avoid any stigma with the students not having food to eat, and picked up on Friday afternoon. The backpacks will be returned on Monday for reuse.
Addressing the need for food is relevant and everyone can relate to this on-going need. It's self-explanatory and easily understood. Without adequate food kids cannot focus on schoolwork, they tend to act out are less focused and less healthy.
South Shore Rotary members will purchase supplies, stuff the backpacks and deliver the backpacks to the selected school for distribution.
The duration of the program will run from September 2019 to June 2020.
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
To date, we have moved ahead with District Grant, P-2807 and completed approximately 60% of the intended project. However, at this point it appears that the schools will not reopen and therefore the food we have purchased to date [a total $2927.40] will be the amount spent from the P-2807 grant for the school backpack program.
For the remaining unspent money, i.e., $2072.60, South Shore Rotary is formally modifying its Grant. We plan to use the unspent portion equally between the following four food pantries on Staten Island for the purchase of food, exclusively:
St Margaret Mary Church
Attn: Mary Puccio
560 Lincoln Ave.
Staten Island, NY 1030
646-552-2375
Oakwood Heights Community Church
Attn: Carol Crocitto
345 Guyon Ave.
Staten Island, NY 10306
718-667-6058
Community Health Action of Staten Island
Attn: Laura Del Prete
2134 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10302
718-808-1840
Stapleton UAME
Attn: Rev. Maggie Howard
49 Tompkins Ave.
Staten Island, NY 10302
718-273-2857
Submitted by:
Mike Kormanik, Director
South Shore Rotary
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