Middle school girls basketball players fill food bags that will be handed out to elementary students, a program run by the Brookfield Backpack Charitable Foundation.
When Andrea Grimm learned that Tracy Plyler was ready to hand over the reins of the Brookfield Backpack Charitable Fund, Grimm was ready to receive them.
“I’m like, ‘There’s no way we can let this end,’” Grimm said.
Grimm is the new manager of the fund, which provides extra food to about 55 elementary school students. Students receive the food at school, but are able to take it home with them.
“It’s really something that I think the kids really benefit from, having somebody who cares about them,” Grimm said. “They don’t even have to know who it is. They just know there’s a support there. That’s the biggest part of why I wanted to do it. I would hate for that to go away for them.”
The fund, which is under the auspices of the Community Foundation of Western PA and Eastern OH, started providing food in 2015. Plyler retired from the program at the end of the last school year so she could concentrate on other charitable endeavors.
“When I was growing up we didn’t have one, but I would have benefited from that,” Grimm said of a backpack program. “That pulled on my heart strings for sure, just thinking, ‘What if that was me?’ or, ‘What if that was my son?’”
Andrea Grimm
Grimm holds once-a-month packing sessions, usually with school groups volunteering. Having kids help out other kids was important to Plyler.
“They compete, who can do it the fastest,” Grimm said. “I think that they really enjoy it. It’s nice to see them have fun while they’re doing it and knowing they’re doing it for a good reason. It’s nice to have them involved.”
The food chosen – most of it Grimm buys at local discount grocery stores – is designed to be easy for the kids to handle, such as macaroni and cheese, toaster pastries, soups, cereal, snacks and drinks. Elementary school teachers distribute the food that has been packed up in bags by the volunteers.
“They love the fruit, they love the Goldfish, they love the apple sauces,” Grimm said.
Grimm, who coaches Brookfield’s varsity volleyball team, said she is looking into bringing back Hungry for the Arts as a fundraiser. Past events – the last was held in 2019 – included an art show, a spaghetti dinner, a basket auction and performances by high school musicians and thespians.
Contributions to the Brookfield Backpack Charitable Fund can be made through the community foundation’s website at www.comm-foundation.org Call 724-981-5582 or email to info@comm-foundation.org for information.
