If you ate a satisfying meal today, think about this. One out of five children in our community might not have had enough to eat because food is scarce in their family. The rate of food insecurity has risen from 16 percent to an estimated 26 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that number is not going to go down any time soon.

Food for our Children is a local non-profit that is doing something about childhood hunger, but they need our support to fulfill their mission. Children who receive reduced or free meals during the school week need to be nourished through the weekend. That’s where FFOC comes in.

Where do you come in? Starting on Wednesday, October 6, FFOC will have their red wagons and display bags set up at participating grocery stores for their annual Grocery Bag Drive. Grab a ticket from the little red wagon, take it with you to checkout and a $5 donation will be coded and added to your grocery bill. This small donation will feed one child for a weekend. Participating in the event are Safeway, Yoke’s, Super 1 Foods, Winter Ridge and Miller’s Country Store.

“You can donate at one or all of these great supporters of this worthwhile cause,” Board member Kris Contor said. “Food for our Children is 100 percent volunteer run, the board funds all overhead costs, so every dollar raised goes directly to purchasing food from 2nd Harvest, through the Bonner Community Food Bank, at wholesale prices.”

He said that food bags are distributed at each elementary school in Bonner County and at Head Start. And, that in addition to weekend bags, FFOC also hands out mid-morning snacks to each child on an as-needed basis.

Board member Michele Murphree said that the phrase that keeps coming back to her is the “The power of a cheese stick! It’s amazing what a snack can do for our students.”

During the 2020-2021 School year, despite the challenges of Covid, FFOC funded and distributed 11,655 weekend food bags to at risk children in Bonner County. The organization works closely with their partners that besides the food bank include Bonner General Health and the Lake Pend Oreille School District.

The health of the future of our community lies in the health of our children. Children who suffer from hunger are prevented from reaching their full potential. Malnutrition takes a toll on everything from the immune system, oral health to academic and social development. FFOC is working tirelessly to ensure our children’s health isn’t jeopardized because of a lack of food.

For more information or to make an online donation go to their website: www.foodforourchildren.org.