Grant will further efforts of School Fuel

School Fuel was recently awarded a $7,500 grant from the Baptist Health Foundation to help provide weekend food for SMCISD elementary children who don’t have sufficient food to eat on the weekend. Food insecure children often fall behind in school and fail to stay in school to graduation. Without an education, these children aren’t likely to defeat the cycle of poverty.

With weekend food support their performance is significantly improved. In the current school year, 703 sacks of nutritious food are sent home each weekend so that the students are able to participate in learning activities on Monday morning when they return to school. The cost of providing for one child for the entire school year is only $215. While School Fuel has received a number of grants, community support is essential to the program.

The Baptist Health Foundation made almost 90 grants totaling $7.2 million to non profits in Bexar and contiguous counties. Since SMCISD has students living in Guadalupe County who receive “school fuel” the non-profit, all volunteer organization is eligible for a Community Impact grant. The Foundation was incorporated in 2004 when the Baptist Health System was sold to Vanguard Health System.

School Fuel’s goal is to provide weekend food support for all the SMCISD children who don’t have enough to eat on the weekends. The plan is to begin a middle school program in September, 2019 where there may be a many as 200 children who go hungry each weekend. Recipients are identified by teachers, cafeteria personnel and other school workers. Teachers report a positive difference in a child once that child begins to received “school fuel.”

To find out more visit www.schoolfuelsanmarcos.org or School Fuel San Marcos on Facebook. To find out how you can help, contact schoolfuel2013@yahoo.com.

Sacks are packed each Thursday evening at the School Fuel facility on Lee Street and delivered to the six elementary schools by Ace Relocation System.

• Submitted by School Fuel