Everyone,
I
don't
usually
send
serious
emails,
but
I
recently
found
out
about
something
that
I
feel
obliged
to
tell
you.
Now,
don't
get
worried,
I
haven't
got
a
terminal
illness,
I am
writing
to
give
you
some
insight
about
a
program
here
in
Manhattan
that
I
had
no
clue
even
existed.
I,
like
many
of
you,
was
raised
in a
fortunate
and
loving
family
and
my
only
concerns
while
growing
up
were
innocent...That
is
not
the
reality
for
quite
a
few
kids
here
in
USD
383. Their
daily
lives
are
filled
with
neglect,
hunger,
and
just
an
overall
lack
of
family
support.
These
children
have
issues
such
as
fatigue,
vision
problems
and
chronic
stomach
aches
despite eating
breakfast
and
lunch
while
at
school.
Their
social
interactions
are
limited
and
their
academic
standing
is
poor
in
relation
to
their
peers.
Their
problems
are
from
malnutrition,
due
to
lack
of
food
in
their
homes.
That's
where
the
program
I
was
referring
to
steps
in...
The
Kid's
Backpack
Meal
Program is
run
by
the Flint
Hills
Breadbasket and
is
designed
to
provide
these
children
with
very
simple
to
prepare,
kid-friendly
foods
that
are
discreetly
distributed
to
them
in
their
backpacks on
Fridays or
over
holidays
during
the
school
year.
These
items
allow
them
to
have
enough
food
to
get
three
meals
a
day
for
each
day
they
are
home.
Currently,
there
are
150-180
students
in
USD
383
that
are
a
part
of
this
program
and
the
number
is going
up.
Sounds
like
issues
that
would
be
in a
third
world
country,
huh?
Well,
I am
sure
you
are
feeling
much
like
I
was
when
I
found
out
about starving
kids in
my
own
town.
I
didn't
know
what
to
feel...angry?...sad?...I
just
couldn't
grasp
it.
I
thought
about
the
parents
of
these
children
and
how
could
they
totally
disregard
the
most
basic
aspect
of
being
a
parent.
I
wavered
between
thinking
"what
can
I do
to
help?"
and
"they
made
the
poor
decisions
in
life,
let
them
figure
it
out!"
I
thought
about
my
kids
and
how
no
matter
how
broke
or
upset
I
could
ever
be,
I
would
do
anything
to
provide.
This
brings
me
to
why
I am
writing...
I
really
wanted
to
help
with
this
program,
but
I
was
struggling
with
the
idea
of
giving
people
something
when
they
should
have
put
forth
the
effort
to
just
get
it
themselves.
I
had
questions
like
"isn't
supporting
this
program
just
prolonging
a
bad
situation?
Shouldn't
the
kids
just
be
taken
out
of
these
terrible
environments?"
So,
I
made
a
call
to
the
Flint
Hills
Breadbasket
and
asked
the
lady
who
runs
the
Backpack
Program.
She
said,
"that's
a
good
question"
she
said there
could
be a
range
of
reasons
why
these
kids
have
no
food,
from
total
neglect
to extreme
poverty.
Some
parents
are
struggling
to
make
ends
meet
and
some
are
just unfit
parents.
She
continued
to
explain
that many
of
these
kids
have
been
taken
out
of
these
neglecting
households
by
the
courts
but
are
then
put
back because
of
the
desire
of
the
courts
to
have
the
kids
living
with
their
blood
relatives.
She
said
that
in
many
of
those
cases,
the
parents
or
relatives
are
right
there
saying"don't
put
this
kid
back
in
my
house,
I
don't
want
them"...
When
she
said
that,
I
felt
completely
deflated...ALL
I
COULD
THINK
WAS
"WHAT
THE
%&$*?!!?" She
then
went
on
to
say
that
since
they
are
back
in
these
homes, the
parents
will
do
even
less
and the
kids
are
left
to
totally
look
out
for
themselves,
they
are
in "survivor
mode"....
That
was
it...That
was
all
I
needed
to
hear
I
had
overcome
my
questions
of
this
being
the
right
thing
to
do
and
was
ready
to
act.
I
have
spoken
with
her
further
and
gathered
some
info
that
I
will
pass
on
to
you.
As I
stated
earlier, they
have
anywhere
from
150-180
kids
at
any
given
time
utilizing
the
program(the
number
fluctuates
due
to
kids
being
taken
from
the
homes)
and
she
stated
that their
annual
operating
budget
is
around
$30,000.
Doing
the
math,
the
cost
per
kid
annually
is
between
$160-$200.
I
couldn't
believe
how
little
they
spent
to
provide
these
meals,
yet
had
to
rely
on
public
donations
to
get
it
funded.
I
thought
about
a
way
that
I
could
help
inspire
or
motivate
people
to
get
over
the
hesitations
I
had
about
giving...
Consider
these
points:
-
These
kids
didn't
choose
to
be
born
to
parents
that
lack
good
judgment...
- The
system
is
failing these
kids
by
keeping
them
in a
terrible
situation...
-
These
kids
can
only
provide
for
themselves
the
way
a
kid
knows
how...
(one
kid
was eating
candy
for
their
meals
that
was
picked
up
at
the
St.
Patrick's
Day
parade)
-
With
every
bit
of
good,
there
could
always
be
some
bad...so
do
you
let
the
little
bit
of
bad
overshadow
what
could
potentially
be
done
to
help
a
kid
who,
without
his
parents
support,
truly
has nothing?
-
Think
about
your
parents
and
what
they
provided
other
than
food...They
were
everything.
What
if
your
parents
said
they
didn't
want
you
and
resented
the
fact
you
were
there?
So
what
can
we
do
to
help?
Here
is
the
simple
plan
that
I
came
up
with...
Cost
of
food
for
one
child
for
the
school
year....
approximately
$180
Give
what
you
can,
but
hopefully
everyone
will
step
up
and
give
enough
to
provide
for
one
kid. Think
of
it
as
taking
this
kid
under
your
wing,
just
like
your
own.
If
we
could
get
just
50
people
to
give
that,
we
would
have
$9000
and
cover
a
good
portion
of
their
budget.
This
is
where
I am
hoping
to
further
motivate.
I am
going
to
donate
enough
to
cover
two
kids,
since
I
have
two
kids.
If
you
have
more
than
one
child,
try
to
give
$180
per
kid.
Now
here
is
my
pledge
to
you
If
we
can
raise
$5000
for
the
program, I
will
shave
my
head...BALD!
If
we
can
raise
$10,000
it
will
stay
bald
for six
months...
If
we
could
manage
to
cover
the
annual
budget
of
$30,000
I
will
keep
my
head
shaved
for
a year!
I
know
it
seems
kinda
crazy,
but
if
it
helps
further
our
efforts,
it
will
be
worth
it.
Also,
when
someone
asks
me,
"
why
the
hell
did
you
shave
your
head?"
I
will
be
given
yet
another
opportunity
to
let
someone
else
know
about
the
program...
As parents, we need to find it within ourselves to help right some wrongs ...I know with our resources, we can make a big impact.
What I ask of you is to forward this to anyone you know who you think could help us out. Also, make sure to reply back to me with what you will give so we can try to keep track of the amount we have raised toward our goal. I am attaching a brochure that gives some info about the program, feel free to print it out and show.
Make sure to make your check to: Flint Hills Breadbasket and put "Backpack Program" in the memo. This is a tax deductible donation. I will be more than happy to pick up the checks or you can mail them directly to the Breadbasket, their address is on the brochure. Remember, the money you will be giving is used to buy food for the children. There will be no money distributed.
Sorry
to
make
you
read
this
never
ending
email,
but
I
feel
strongly
about
this
cause.
If
you
have
any
other
questions,
feel
free
to
call
me
at 785-236-9473.