Feeding the mind when the body needs nourishment is a problem schools have always found to be a struggle. We have free and reduced lunch and breakfast programs nationwide.
Sanford is extremely fortunate to have the Sanford Backpack Program to serve our schools and provide (Pre)K-12 students with backpacks of nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to ensure they have food items to maintain a balanced diet.
Sanford Public Schools is a comprehensive (Pre)K-Adult system and the students of Sanford Community Adult Education (SCAE) face some of the same food insecurities that younger students face. Many SCAE students have to work fewer hours and receive less pay in order to complete their education. Some adult learners live at home, some couch surf, and some are trying to maintain work, home, and school to provide a better future for themselves and their children. Our students range in age from 17-75 and 90% of these adult learners self-identify as low-income.
With these facts in mind, SCAE staff members have been stocking a food cupboard through internal donations for many years to help meet student emergency needs. In order to be able to meet the needs of more students on a regular basis, we reached out to the Sanford Backpack Program and asked for help, and they answered; “YES”! So starting this week Sanford Backpack Program, our partner in fighting food insecurity, will start helping the students of SCAE on a regular basis. The staff and students are extremely grateful.