March is National Nutrition Month and what a better time than now to thank all the groups and individuals who help nourish our hungry kids.

Thank you to The Whitefish Lions Club. Under the direction of Greg Schaffer, they have worked tirelessly to create a large school garden.  Students help with the planting and cultivating and this year the garden produced over 3000 pounds of fruits and vegetables, all of which were given to the school lunch program to be used in our students’ lunches.

Thank you to the city of Whitefish’s Parks and Rec Department, who helped weed the school garden during the summer months and for facilitating a Summer Feeding Program at the Middle School. This program offers free breakfast and lunch to anyone less than 18 years of age, June through August.

Thank you to The Buffalo Cafe and the Whitefish PTA who organize the yearly Holiday Food Bag program. This school year, a few days before the holiday vacation, they distributed over 350 bags of food to any child who wanted one.

Thank you to the Whitefish Community Foundation and The Iron Horse Foundation whose generous donations have made the Holiday Food Program and the Afternoon Snack Program at Muldown Elementary an ongoing success.

Thank you to Angora Ridge Foundation, The Wave and Glacier Bank for spearheading the funding of the local BackPack Program. It is a Montana Food Bank Network program that provides nonperishable foods to 200 students in Whitefish and Columbia Falls schools every Friday during the school year. Last year, the BackPack Assistance Program, created by Heather Lockhart, was started and they add whole fruits and vegetables to the existing BackPack food bags.  Whitefish Community Foundation and Soroptomist Club are also appreciated for grant support of this much needed program.

Thank you to The Shepard’s Hand Clinic, which provides weekly dinners and medical treatment to anyone in need.

Thank you to the Whitefish Foursquare Church’s 3:22 afterschool snack program located across the street from the Middle School.

Thank you to the Whitefish Food Bank and their endless devotion to feed our families in need.

If you know of anyone who would benefit from any of these programs or who would wish to volunteer or donate to these worthy causes, please call Jay at 862-8620, ext. 249, and I will put you in contact with the appropriate person. Note, a $25 donation to the BackPack program in March will be awarded a week pass at The WAVE.

The BackPack Assistance Program’s mission statement says, “With a community of helping hands and giving hearts, no child is left hungry.”

Jay Stagg is the food service director for Whitefish Public Schools.