Essex, Missouri – Today, the students of Richland High School and Elementary School kicked off their school- and community-wide Backpack Program by wearing orange for “Go Orange Day”. Go Orange Day was created is supported by No Kid Hungry: Show Our Strength, Action Against Hunger, Food Bank of America, Feeding America, and other well-known organizations with the same goal. It is a program that is growing quickly across the nation that is helping to end hunger in America. No Kid Hungry helps students and kids in different parts of the country eat breakfast before school, eat lunch while at school, and be able to go home to a nice meal at dinner time so they are able to grow properly and have the nutrition they need.
Today, Thursday, September 5th, was the official kickoff for the nationwide Hunger Action Month. Go Orange Day is a day that helps bring awareness of the large issue that even exists in our small communities. Buildings, landmarks, and people across the country will go orange for the day to help make a statement. Richland was proud to be a part of this big day. All the Richland students ranging from kindergarteners to seniors in high school get to play a part of this month-long-movement that has a real and lasting impact on the mission to end hunger in America.
The students and faculty were proud to wear orange today and are excited to continue participating in the upcoming events put together by the school nurse, Carly Jones. Go Orange Day also kicked off the Backpack Program, which was first put together last year by Jones, the High School Beta Club, and their sponsor Stephanie Monroe.
The Richland School District’s Backpack Program was created to service those in need in our community by packing backpacks full of food each and every Friday so that the students and families in need will be able to have nutritious meals all throughout the weekend. This year, the students are proud to announce that they will be serving even more families than last year. The Beta Club members will now spend each and every Friday in the nurse’s office, helping fill backpacks with food that will help provide our local families with weekend meals.
Days like today remind us that hunger is closer than we think. The Beta Club and the rest of the Richland students, along with other high school clubs, will be holding food drives throughout the fall to support their Backpack Program along with the local food banks.
