WA Trust helps feed Kootenai students

KOOTENAI — Weekend meals are provided to elementary students throughout the Lake Pend Oreille School District who are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

The cost for Kootenai Elementary School alone is approximately $17,000. To help offset some of that cost, the local Washington Trust Bank donated $9,200 to feed the Kootenai kids for the remainder of the year.

"I'm overwhelmed by the generosity," said Kootenai Principal Kelli Knowles, tears welling in her eyes as she said the next words. "It means so much to these kids. It just makes me feel good to send them home with food on Fridays."

The Backpack program is a partnership between the Bonner Community Food Bank, Food For Our Children and the school district to provide free weekend meals to elementary school students who might otherwise go hungry. The weekend backpack weighs about six pounds and includes child-friendly, nutritious, non-perishable foods, generally comprised of two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and two snacks.

According to the latest numbers on the food bank's website, 1,049 elementary school children receive free or reduced price meals at school — 56 percent of all students enrolled in the district. At Kootenai, 53 percent of the students are eligible.

Raina Delema, Sandpoint branch manager for Washington Trust, took on the task of getting the donation after Eric Paull, Washington Trust vice president and relationship manager, was inspired by a recent presentation during a Rotary Club of Sandpoint meeting.

"He came back and said he was moved by the presentation, so he asked me if we could figure something out," Delema said. "We wanted to make a really big impact in the community."

Paull said he first heard about it from Food For Our Children board member Roz Holland a few years ago, so he was familiar with the program. When Food For Our Children board members Michele Murphree and Kris Contor spoke at a recent Rotary meeting, he took the brochure to Delema, who took it to corporate, and "the rest was history."

"And I'm partial to Kootenai because my youngest went to school here," Paull said.

Debbie Love, food bank executive director, said she and the food bank staff appreciate the partnership with Food For Our Children and the district, and are thankful for the donation.

"We couldn't do what we do without our community," Love said.

In addition to providing meals for the rest of the year, the money will also give them meals to take home during spring break, Murphree said.

"I don't think people realize how much they rely on these weekend food bags," Murphree said. "That can be a long weekend if you don't have any food or adequate food ... I just want to do anything I can do to make sure these kids get an education."

Sometimes the school has an extra bag or two leftover, Knowles said, so they are able to send the extra with kids who need it. One little girl, she said, told school staff one day that she didn't have any food. Although it was a Tuesday, they were able to send her home with a bag leftover from the Friday before.

"It's a lifesaver," Knowles said. "It really is. I think they depend on it and so do we, so it just makes me feel good in my heart to send them home with something. I am thankful beyond words."

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.