At 10 elementary schools in the Sioux Falls School District,
70% or more of students qualify for free or reduced lunch
due to income constraints.
In a staggering number of homes right here in Sioux Falls, many children have just one meal they can count on most days: their school lunch. But what happens when a family doesn’t qualify for the federally funded Free/Reduced Lunch Program? Or when the parent/guardian has not filled out the necessary paperwork?
A letter goes home in either the child’s backpack (elementary) or by mail (secondary).
Middle and High School students are verbally reminded each day that the account has a negative balance.
The child can “charge” up to 5 meals on their account, resulting in a negative balance that must be paid.
After 5 charged meals, the student receives a “Smart Snack,” a lighter, pre-packed food combo.
If, after 15 snacks, the parent is unable to pay the ever-increasing balance from these “charged” snacks (a common problem), the child can no longer be served.
These scenarios happen all too often here in our community, causing heartache for both the hungry child as well as the school personnel who know the importance of a nourishing meal.
How Can I Help?
Volunteer
It is our goal for this to be a fun family event for everyone to enjoy! We will have things needing to be put together, in addition to setup and tear down before and after the event, so please fill out the contact form below and we will find a place for you!
Spread the Word
We need YOUR HELP to spread the word and make this event a huge success once again.
We are collecting donations for Raffle Prizes, Live Auction Items and Door Prizes. If you have an item you’d like to donate, please click here to be taken to our donation form, and donations can be dropped off at The Barrel House.
You may also contact any event committee member (listed below) and we can arrange for your donated item to be picked up.
Donate Now
The easiest way to make sure your dollars make an impact is to donate directly to the event. A separate account under the Barrel House Hungry Hearts has been established at Great Western Bank where you can make a direct deposit.
