Nassau County nonprofit works to feed students during weekends, holidays

A Nasau County nonprofit is working to keep students fed on school weekends and holidays. The SnackPack program successfully served more than 300 students last year, but now funding has become an issue.

The SnackPack program through Barnabas helps children in Nassau County Schools focus on their studies, and not their growling stomachs.

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Barnabas’ CEO and president, Wanda Lanier told us the issue for several families is they don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Their pantry is typically full of non-perishables items, along with meat, cheese and dairy products in the refrigerator and freezer, but now that’s not the case. So far, this year, they're behind on their food inventory because they lack adequate funding.

“We really try to focus on fresh and frozen food here,” Lanier said.

Last year, they received grants and donations totaling $30,000, which helped 300 local kids throughout the school year. As for this upcoming year, they’ve only secured a $5,000 grant.

“We are really lacking at least $25,000 to be able to continue the program,” Lanier said.

The SnackPack program is administered by Angela Mcclellan, manager of the Families in Transition program and homeless liaison for Nassau County Schools. Local teachers have identified the children with the most acute needs and have targeted this program for them.

Children who qualify will get a bag full of about one-and-a-half to two pounds of nutritious food.  It includes fresh fruit, peanut butter, and granola bars as a way to bridge the gap over the weekends and school holidays.

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Most of these children who receive this service also benefit from free or reduced school lunches Monday through Friday.

“If you’re a young child and you’re wondering, ‘Okay am I going to have dinner when I get home tonight? Or breakfast when I go to school in the morning?’ Where is their mind? It’s not on what the teacher is teaching,” Lanier said.

The school district has identified 500 children as homeless who are in need of these services from this program; however, Lanier told us they’d need to raise $50,000.

SnackPack has a partnership with Feeding Northeast Florida, so the food they buy for children cost pennies on the pound.

To help feed Nassau County's food-challenged children, donate to Barnabas Center online or contact Tania Yount, chief development officer, at 904-261-7000, ext. 107

Cox Media Group