Branson-Hollister Rotary recently donated $2,560.00 to Gift of Hope, which will go towards a new Student Essentials program in the Forsyth and Bradleyville High Schools.

Gift of Hope facilitates a backpack food program in all local schools. We have found that older students are not utilizing the program. We want to tailor a new program to better fit their needs.

In talking with local school staff, we have found there is a large portion of high school students who are technically homeless. They are either couch surfing, or have absent parents. They are essentially raising themselves. When trying to find food sources for them, it became apparent there are not many options. We want to assist them with healthy, age appropriate food and personal hygiene products.

Rotary Club President Cody Fenton expressed the Branson-Hollister Rotary is happy to partner with Gift of Hope to launch the new program.

“Gift of Hope has a long history of helping area students through their Backpack Program,” Fenton said. “To be able to help provide seed money to this new aspect is wonderful.”

The aim of the project is to create a program which provides food items and hygiene products to high school students in need. The program will be designed to cater to students from low-income families, or those experiencing financial hardship who may not have access to basic necessities such as food and hygiene products. The program will be implemented in partnership with high school administration and Gift of Hope.

The program will also include educational resources on nutrition and proper hygiene practices. It will provide bags which can be picked up in principal, superintendent or counselor’s offices. The bags will contain food appropriate for high school students, as well as hygiene items. We have found that students are more likely to access these items when they are in a more private location, such as the counselor’s office.

Overall, the program aims to ensure high school students have access to basic necessities, allowing them to focus on their education so they can succeed in school. It will be designed to be sustainable and scalable, with the potential to expand to others schools and communities in the future.