GHS Interact Helps Backpack Program

On December 13, 2017, Gorham High School Interact Club officers presented a check for $1370 to representatives from the Gorham Backpack program. This check represented half of the proceeds from the "Just a Kid from Gorham" T-shirt sale fundraiser. Congratulations to GHS Interact for a successful fundraiser!

The Gorham Backpack Program, launched this fall, provides a source of grain, fruit, vegetable, and protein through a variety of staple meal items, breakfast foods, and healthy snacks. Each bag is limited to roughly 5 lbs, so that all students can fit the food in their personal backpack regardless of age. Food is packed in grocery bags supplied by Hannaford.

It costs roughly $225 per year, per student, to receive food through the program. Food is sent home every Friday and over long weekends and holidays. Any student, K-12, who is experiencing food insecurity and/or chronic hunger may participate in the program. Students are nominated by a staff member in the school, parents, and/or students may self-refer.

Participants do not pay and it is not a school funded program. It is fully funded through donations made by the community. With the expected enrollment, as the program builds, the financial campaign needs to raise around $25,000 every year. Similar programs exist in Westbrook, Windham, Scarborough and many other surrounding communities.

Volunteers to pack the bags are needed. If you'd like to help, contact elementary school coordinator Jen Baker jennifer.baker@gorhamschools.org or Middle School/High School Coordinator Heather Whitaker heather.whitaker@gorhamschools.org

L-R: Abbie vanLuling, Aaron Farr, Michelle Row, Jon Scribner,

Stefan Street, Ben Nelson, Sean Pocock, Garrett Higgins and

three representatives from the Gorham Back Pack Program