Schools officials in Casa Grande are developing a program to help students who might be hungry.
The Casa Grande Elementary School District (CGESD) has started a drive to collect peanut butter and jelly, which it will use to make sandwiches for students in a program starting later this year.
Approximately 30 Casa Grande Middle School will be selected to participate; the students are those who are not likely to have adequate meals over the course of a weekend. On Fridays, these students will go home with a backpack full of kid-friendly, non-perishable food like the PB&J sandwiches.
CGESD's marketing and communications specialist, Michael Cruz, said the students will return the Backpacks every Monday. He also said the school intends to be discreet about handing out the Backpacks, to avoid embarrassing the students. In addition, some of the students who are given the food may have no access to a stove or oven, which is why the district is collecting food that does not require any preparation.
The program will start when school begins in August. There are bins now throughout Casa Grande where people can donate peanut butter and jelly. The Casa Grande program is similar to one that was undertaken in Apache Junction. Cruz said that he hopes Casa Grande residents will donate 1,300 jars to beat the Apache Junction record, and the collection bins will be in place until July 22. Flyer printing can be used to call attention to efforts like this.
Get a Free Quote for Backpacks
