Immanuel 8th Graders Team Up With Gleaners to Fill Backpacks for Hungry Kids

Days before they return to school, eighth graders will be busy filling backpacks–but not with school supplies.

These backpacks will be filled with milk, cans of fruit, vegetables, cereal and protein for the Kids Helping Kids program, which fills backpacks for children who aren't receiving meals at home.

As a class service project, the students will head to Gleaners in Warren on Aug. 25 to fill the backpacks that will later be used to provide about six meals to hungry children on the weekends.

Gleaners estimates there are 250,000 children who receive two out of their three meals at school in the metro Detroit area. This means on the weekends, many of them go without meals. Gleaners partners with local schools to distribute backpacks to children who rely on free and reduced-fee school meals during the week.

Gleaners welcomes groups for volunteering and providing the education.

Kelly Prisby, who went to Gleaners with her daughter's fifth-grade class last year, was so moved by the experience that she organized this service project for her son's eighth-grade class.

"Personally, I was in tears when I sat through the education portion of the program last year," she said. "I had no idea that we had so many children in our area who don't have enough food. It's good for our students to be aware that kids are hungry right here in our suburban neighborhoods. I knew when I left that I wanted to bring another group of kids, including my son, to experience that service again."

Gleaners will give an introduction to the history of the food bank, a tour of the warehouse and an education session, followed by the hands-on experience of packing the backpacks. During the education portion, they will focus on the importance of good nutrition and hunger awareness. 

is also home to one of 55 food pantries in Macomb County providing food for people in need.

Sue Figurski, coordinator of the Macomb Food Program, said there has been a 50 percent increase in requests from families in Macomb County in the last two years.

"It is a critical time for Macomb County residents and many others in Michigan," she said. "Oct. 1 is when the 48-month time limit on people receiving general assistance will take effect. In Macomb County, 636 households will be cut off from receiving assistance and food stamps will be cut across the board by 20 percent. This cut will hurt many families, particularly those with children."

Almost all the eighth-grade Immanuel students will be attending the service project. They will earn community service hours toward their Confirmation.