Spotlight News

'Everybody needs a little bit of help': Gretna Public Schools launches weekend meals program

Maddie Augustine Anchor/Reporter
KETV 7
 

The Gretna Public Schools Foundation, with the help of the district, is launching a weekend meals program to help families facing food insecurity, allowing students to take home food every weekend.

Each week, through community partnerships and donations, the foundation and volunteers will sort groceries and fill bags for students. Each bag will contain an easy-to-prepare meal, a breakfast item, and snacks. Student support specialists with the district said they are currently rotating through four different meal options: spaghetti, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chicken and rice, and soup.

"We are going to start this Friday by giving out just over 60 backpacks that will be put discreetly in the backpacks at the end of the week, and sent home for our students that are facing food insecurities." Holly Radke, executive director of the Gretna Public Schools Foundation, said. "Being able to supply them with needed food over the weekend is a huge asset. Some of these kiddos come to school, and their only main source of food might be the lunch program here."

The initiative was created after two elementary principals highlighted the need for it to the foundation. Radke said she spent the summer researching, writing grants, and securing donations to make the Weekend Backpack Program a possibility in the district.

"Thanks to donors, we have the funding to start the program, to go and buy the supplies that we need. We're also working within the community to do food drives," Radke said. "We have four locations right now that are doing food drives, United Republic Bank, Stories coffee here in Gretna, Williamsburg pizza, and Hawaiian Brothers are all drop-off sites. Walmart has supported us, locally at 168th and Harrison, and then Village Square here in Gretna is also one of our primary monetary sponsors."

"Truly, I think sometimes there's a misconception that in our suburban school districts that we don't necessarily have that many families in need," Michael Sortino, executive director of student services for Gretna Public Schools District, said. "And really, the work that they've done, it became quite apparent that we did have some families that were struggling."

Over the past eight years, the district has added seven schools, and with this growth comes an increase in need.

"We have about 1 in 10 students who face food insecurities here in our district," Radke said.

The district already offers free and reduced school lunches and is piloting a breakfast program this year as well, but Sortino said not every family qualifies for the lunch program, even if they still need some assistance. He emphasized the impact of hunger on students.

"If a student comes hungry to school, it has a huge impact on them and their ability to reach their full potential as students," Sortino said. "The largest struggles right now in school districts all over the country. You're looking at attendance. And you are certainly looking at mental health struggles with young people. "Any time we've got students that potentially are struggling, and you're really trying to figure out the why. And so again, any staff member, teachers, administrators, counselors, and now our student support specialists as they're trying to dig into the why, and we're seeing that we've got families that are struggling with food insecurity."

The program is free for all grades and families in the district, with no questions asked.

"We will accept everyone who says there's a need," Radke said. "We want to be able to sign up families as needed, and the family says we don't need the program any longer than will, take them off the list, and hopefully add additional families."

Sortino said he doesn't want families to hesitate to reach out for help.

"For those families in need. Please reach out. Please let us know. I know sometimes pride can get in the way, and and people don't necessarily want to be a burden at times. The way we look at things is at any given time, everybody needs a little bit of help. We kind of say all the time, it takes a village to raise a child. And our village here is our community for Gretna Public Schools," Sortino said. "There could be somebody that reaches out to us that wants to help, that in two months they might need some help themselves. That's kind of what this program is all about."

Families can sign up at any time during the school year to be part of the Weekend Backpack program. To sign up, click here.

Radke said they are also always accepting donations. If you would like to donate monetarily or participate in the ongoing food drives, click here to learn more.