Richland School District Two Receives Gift from Food Lion
January 20, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Richland School District Two has received $3,000 from the Food Lion Charitable Foundation. Richland Two will use the gift to support its district-wide backpack program, provide emergency food supplies for families and stock school food pantries.
“I am extremely grateful for the support and assistance from the Food Lion Charitable Foundation for helping us meet the needs of our students and their families,” said Abby Cobb, lead social worker for Richland Two. “We want our students and their families to be as successful as possible and this donation helps tremendously.”
Currently Richland Two serves about 450 students per week via its backpack program, which runs throughout the school year. The goal of the program is to eliminate hunger on weekends for students in school communities who may not have access to healthy meals at home. Selected students are provided with non-perishable, nutritious, and easy-to-eat food in backpacks, which are discreetly distributed on the last school day prior to a weekend or holiday vacation. Richland Two social workers also provide an average of 1,300 direct resources such as food, clothing and school supplies per student each year.
“Unfortunately members of our community sometimes face difficulties and barriers in meeting their family’s needs and the district recognizes that if those essentials go unmet students face significant challenges with being engaged and successful learners,” Cobb added.
