The Foundation for Edmonds School District has been awarded a $25,000 Rite Aid Foundation KidCents Regional Grant to expand the foundation’s Nourishing Network food and family assistance programs. It is one of 15 Washington state non-profits to receive funding.
KidCents Regional Grants support nonprofit organizations with programs that serve children, from newborn to 18 years of age, and improve the quality of life in Rite Aid communities. The grants support three of KidCents’ primary focus areas for improving the health and wellbeing of children: healthy eating, active living and education.
“As the number of students experiencing hunger and homeless in our district grows, so too does our need for additional resources to fund and expand our food assistance programs,” said Deborah Brandi, Executive Director of the Foundation for Edmonds School District. “The Nourishing Network began as a weekend meal program but has grown to include a summer meal program, monthly pop-up pantries as well as comprehensive supports for more than 300 of our district’s most vulnerable students and their families. We thank The Rite Aid Foundation for helping to fund these essential services with this grant.”
The Nourishing Network was created in partnership with and at the request of the Edmonds School District to provide food assistance for hungry and homeless students and their families.
More than 4,000 non-perishable food items move through Nourishing Network pantries each week of the school year. In 2018-2019, the Foundation provided 7,221 weekend meal kits for 275 homeless students and served 3,790 free summer lunches. On average, 33 percent of students in the Edmonds School District qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program and an estimated 650 will experience homelessness during the school year.
The Rite Aid Foundation recently announced KidCents Regional Grants totaling $5 million awarded to 233 nonprofits nation-wide. “The Rite Aid Foundation is committed to being a caring neighbor and making meaningful differences for the children and families who live in the communities we serve,” said Tracy Henderson, director of The Rite Aid Foundation and charitable giving initiatives.
Learn more about the foundation at www.foundationesd.org
I just read that homeless kids are being bussed here from various other cities. Renton, Kent and many others.
I think its great that Riteaid is donating the money. My question is how is this homeless problem ( being brought to us) affecting the limited money our schools have? I know we currently pay for many breakfast/lunch/ and kits for these students. Is this why our taxes keep increasing?
Joy, would you share where you read this?
Joy and Alicia, There is a federal program that classifies kid as homeless even if they are living with someone out of the districts that is not one of their parents. That child is entitled to be transported back the ESD at taxpayer expense. The law is McKinney-Vento. The last time I checked this is the data reported by type:
Doubled Up = 421; Hotel/Motel = 74: Shelters = 141; Unsheltered = 25; Total = 661
The state office of public instruction has data for all districts in the state and describes the program.
Any contribution from outside sources will help reduce taxpayer expense for this program.
Darrel: no argument from me. I just like knowing source documentation as opposed to “I read somewhere”.
One of the school candidate running for office spoke of it. If you look up information regarding the candidates you will be voting for they discussed it.