Micah's Backpack feeds local kids' families
Below are 8 Instagram posts throughout the page. Click the links below the post to view an interview with Marian Brown, Director of Micah's Backpack.
Micah's Backpack, a part of Micah's Caring Initiative, aims to help kids and their families in the Town of Blacksburg go to bed on weekends with full stomachs.
Since its establishment over 17 years ago by six members at St. Michael Lutheran Church, Micah's Backpack has been steadfast in its mission to provide meals for grade school kids on days when schools are out of session. Currently, they serve in ten different schools in the Blacksburg Area.
Named after the book of Micah from the Bible, the nonprofit organization currently aids 300 children’s families during the regular school year. In the summer, that number decreases to about 140 children.
Each child supported by the organization goes home on Fridays with two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners—three meals for Saturday and three more for Sunday. In April, Micah's Backpack delivered over 7,600 bags of food. This provided 46,026 meals—107,394 individual food items.
Micah's Backpack is a testament to the power of community, from the volunteers who pack bags on Tuesday nights to those who deliver them at schools on Fridays. Most of these volunteers are students and faculty members from Virginia Tech, united by a common desire to significantly impact the community at a minimal cost, donating time.
Take Dylan Hughson, for instance. Initially, he joined Micah's Backpack to earn fraternity service hours, but the experience has given him a profound understanding of the impact of community service. "It's shown me how a simple act can make a huge difference, especially when many people are involved,” he shares. Also adding, “it’s a fairly easy way to make a fairly large difference in the lives of people who need the help.”
Others, like Virginia Tech Alumni and one of five current Residential Well-being Managing Director Kelly McPherson, volunteer their time simply because “it makes [her] feel good. You leave with such a sense of love and gratitude in your heart … I believe that service is not only for those you are serving but also directly impacts your own well-being.”
McPherson, a former Kipps Elementary school teacher, says she “[has] seen the direct impact those meals have on the children in our community.” She also added, “anyone can do service, it doesn't matter their age! The cool thing about that was my students were directly impacting their peers [who] took that food home each weekend.”
Micah's Backpack always accepts volunteers for those who want to join the initiative. With an easy sign-up system on their website, users can pick which Tuesday works for them and reschedule if needed.
For those who do not reside in the Town of Blacksburg, there are still ways people can assist St. Michael with their initiative. A little over three years ago, Micah's Backpack set up a Wishlist powered by Amazon. This way, anyone can purchase items the organization needs without the hassle of going to the store and buying them themselves. Micah's Backpack also takes online and mail-in donations with a sidenote displaying how many meals a specific donation can afford.
The organization does not plan to stop serving the community anytime soon. A new director will soon come in and take over at the beginning of June just before Micah's Mobile Backpack kicks off the Summer.
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