A Collaboration Between Macon County Student Services & CareNet

“for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” – Psalm 107:9

The Story…

It all started when area school teachers and guidance counselors noticed children coming into school on Monday mornings, their stomachs yearning for sustenance due to a lack of food being available at home over the weekend. For most of these children, the last meal they had received was school lunch Friday.
In 2008, CareNet joined forces with the Student Services of Macon County Schools to eradicate childhood hunger here in Macon County. Upon its inception, the BackPack (BP) Program distributed approximately 60 BP’s a week to area school children. To date, that number has grown to over 500 a week!

Facts About Childhood Hunger

• 15,898,000 (21.6%) are considered Food Insecure (Source: Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap, 2012)
• 608,850 (26.7%) of children in North Carolina are considered Food Insecure
• 1,930 children (30.6%) are considered Food Insecure in Macon County. That’s 1 in 3 children!
• 65.2% of Macon County Students are enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program at school (Source: North Carolina Dept. of Public Instruction, Division of Financial and Business Services. “Free & Reduced Meal Application Data,” 2012)

Enrollment

In an effort to maintain confidentiality and respect the privacy of the families we serve, CareNet never receives the names of any families participating in the BP Program. Children enrolled in the program are identified by teachers and/or counselors within their school, which are then reported as a total number of BackPacks for the school to be packed and distributed by CareNet.

If you or a family you know may have children in need of the BackPack Program, please notify your school to make proper arrangements.

Phone: (828) 369-2642

Email: Backpacks@MaconCareNet.org