Proving that Love can be shared and make a difference, in April 2022, kidsPACK received for the fourth year in a row, a generous donation from the Subaru Share the Love Campaign! Totaling more than $31,000; this donation will sponsor one of the neediest schools in Polk County, FL – Jesse Keen Elementary throughout the 2022-2023 School Year. Jesse Keen is rated at the bottom 50% in the Polk County School District statistics: Math proficiency is only at 35% and Reading is at 27% placing this school in the lower quadrant in Overall test scores.
In the previous school year, the need for weekend food for their students was 75. That means that 75 students were showing signs of starvation and did not know where their next meal would come from after the free breakfast and lunch each Public School provides Monday – Friday. This year, Subaru will completely cover the cost for all 75 students which will supply them with an annual non-descript backpack and 9 snacks, a spoon, and a juice each week for 46 weeks! Each Friday, these students will be given the meal package that slips into their backpack to take home which ensure they have meals to eat over the weekend.
Lisa M. Gill, Title 1 Parent & Family Engagement at Jesse Keen Elementary wrote “Due to kidsPACK, last year we were able to improve our student attendance ratio for students on the program who knew they would have food for the Holiday’s and weekends!”. “With the Subaru, Share the Love Sponsorship, 75 of our students we will be able to be put on the Program at the beginning of the school year and are ensured food for the entire year!”. “Battling child hunger is now being addressed at the school level and it because of Subaru Share the Love and Lakeland Subaru that we expect our attendance rates to improve, and student achievement and gains can be made.”
