Beginning at Riverside Elementary in September 2014, Jackson County Food 4 Kids provides weekly food packs to food insecure K-5th grade children for weekends and holiday breaks during the school year. The food pack covers all meals for that child over the weekend.  Within the first 12 months, the program expanded to include the four elementary schools in Jackson County: Riverside, Pleasantview, Heron Lake-Okabena and Immanuel Lutheran. 

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In March 2017, Jackson County Food 4 Kids expanded to include a Food Pantry at the JCC Middle School in Lakefield, MN. Food insecure students are able to select items from the pantry weekly. The food selected will cover the meals for that student over the weekend and holiday breaks. On average, each student receives 10 pounds of food per visit to the Food Pantry. 

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NFP and the Community Pride Team are especially proud of this food pack program as we know that 15.5% of rural households are food insecure. Jackson County Food 4 Kids helps ensure that all children are able to focus on their school work without the worry of going hungry over the weekend and holiday breaks.