The Alliance Bulldog Backpack Program, ran by Raquel Oligmueller, Director, received a donation of $10,000 from First Christian Church to help with expenses related to the program.
“All funding goes directly towards purchasing groceries. We have approximately 12-15 shelf stable food items that we pack in each bag every week, granola bars, cereals, crackers, fruit snacks. We spend about $500 a week at least,” said Oligmueller.
Oligmueller states that the Backpack Program is a way for students, pre-K through high school, to have a way to obtain nutritious meals on weekends, which, in turn, helps students overall.
“I think it’s really important because, as studies have shown, nutrition helps children. Children at all ages need nutrition and they learn better. So then that directly impacts their studies, their education, which directly impacts how they are in the community,” said Oligmueller.
Oligmueller explains that serving the children in need, while maintaining anonymity, is a multiple person approach.
“At the beginning of the year, every parent receives forms through the school. So if they are on free or reduced meals, then they’ll ask them if they want to be a part of the backpack program. So when it asks, ‘Can we share your information with other programs?’ we’re one of those programs, and it’s all anonymous. We don’t know the students, but the counselors and the principals who will give us a stack of forms and then we put them on the list. But we just work with the counselors and the principals, and we always take their feedback and want to make the program better, but really, if they see a student in need, they’re going to recommend our program, and then we’ll add them to the list. It’s all anonymous. They’re numbered, so the counselors will give them a number and then we get that number. So no names involved,” said Oligmueller.
The Backpack Program faced challenges at the beginning of the school year that were rectified by the end of the school year.
“So last school year we started off under budget. With the way prices were for groceries, and the limited amount of donations that we had, we didn’t start out where we wanted to be, and by the end of the year, we were back in business. So we were supplying pre-K through high school again,” said Oligmueller.
There have been numerous successes with the program this school year.
“I’m very happy to say that all the grants we applied for we received. We did something a little different last year with sending out donation requests, and we got a great response from that as well. It was the first time we’ve ever done anything like that and I’m hoping to get the word out,” said Oligmueller.
Oligmueller says that the program still needs assistance, which the community can help with.
“We’re still looking for volunteers. We really need more community involvement. Right now, the majority of our volunteers are retirement age or older. So, if there are any younger individuals who want to volunteer, we are needing them. We’ve lost a few people, and we’re trying to replace those positions,” said Oligmueller.
Volunteers for the program have multiple opportunities in which to give back.