PEABODY — Michele Feld was shocked to learn how many elementary school students go hungry on weekends.
While kids can take advantage of free and reduced lunch during the week, they often go 48 hours waiting for their next meal.
Having heard of successful programs where students are sent home with backpacks filled with food for the weekend, Feld and her husband, Dennis, of Evans Flowers called School Committeeman Jarrod Hochman.
“When Michele brought this issue to my attention, it was eye opening,” said Hochman. “I’ve done some research since then, and the results have been breathtaking, and not in a good way.”
He was happy to help make the Felds’ backpack initiative a reality, he said.
As a result, “No Child Goes Hungry in Peabody” kicked off Friday.
The pilot program provides fresh and packaged food for the weekend to 120 students at the Welch and Center elementary schools. The goal is to have the program expand to all eight of the city’s elementary schools by March.
Hochman credits the Felds for finding a solution to a major problem in the schools. But Michele Feld said the program would never have gotten off the ground without the help of Hochman and Peabody organizations and individuals.
“You can have an idea, but if you don’t know the right people it can be hard to get it started,” she said.
Although the school department helps administer the program, donations and work is being done privately. The Felds provided space at their business to pack the donated backpacks with everything from canned tuna fish to clementines and apples. They’re also using their vans to deliver the backpacks to the schools.
If the program is a success and expands to all the city’s schools, Feld said a bigger distribution site could be established.
School staff helped identify those students most in need of assistance, Hochman said.
“We’ve identified 120 kids between the Welch and Center schools alone who are in need of this service, and that blew me away,” he said.
The program is still in its early stages. But Feld and Hochman said a number of local companies and organizations have already donated cash, food, and backpacks, including Citizens Inn Transition, Peabody Lions and Rotary clubs, GraVoc Associates, North Shore Bank, and Shaw’s Supermarket.
“There are a lot of people out there who want to help other people,” said Feld.
Anyone who wants to make a donation can send a check to the Peabody Public Schools at 27 Lowell St., Peabody, MA 01960 with No Child Goes Hungry in Peabody in the memo line.
