Brooke Goins is an elementary school teacher in Tennessee who shared something that brought her to tears this week. One of her students asked a simple question: “when the lady that puts food in his backpack was coming.” He was talking about the school’s guidance counselor who, with the help of a local food pantry, fills backpacks for food each weekend. Goins didn't know if she would be in this week because it was Fall break and that meant it was a short week for students and faculty. Brooke then asked him about the food in the backpack and he said he especially liked, ‘Those little Os” (SpaghettiOs). He told her: “We don’t have those at my house, but when I do have them they give me a warm belly and help me sleep.”
I can't even, y'all. Brooke jumped into action by texting a group of teachers, and they pooled their money to buy the hungry child enough food to last him through his fall break. Brooke has also, along with the other teachers, have started a food pantry for students.
This is why we ask every year for you to go to Ingles and buy a backpack icon for $7.50. That small amount of money will feed one of these kids for an entire weekend. As many as are sold, it still isn't enough. Harvest Hope Food Bank says the need is so great now that there are students who go home hungry.
Today, please, go to Ingles, anywhere in the Upstate, and pick up one of those backpack icons to keep these little tummies warm.
Photo Credit: Getty Images