Stuff the Truck Food Drive Set for Saturday

Thousands of Alabama’s children participate in the free or reduced lunch program, which for some is their only meal of the day.
That’s why Alabama News Network is teaming up with Tie and Doll, Inc and Winn-Dixie to make sure kids have something eat.

Making the grade in school can be tough enough on full a stomach, so imagine how difficult it is for kids who don’t have enough to eat. That is what many of Alabama’s students are dealing with everyday.  50% of them participate in free or reduced lunch programs.  The number is even higher in Montgomery County at 60%.

For the last 4 years,  Tie and Doll, Inc, has teamed up with Alabama News Network and Winn-Dixie do something about Alabama’s student hunger issue within the Montgomery Public School system.

And with the community’s help, we’ve been able to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of students with the annual Stuff the Truck Food Drive.

“You find a lot of kids they go to school to get their meal. A lot of times their parents can’t afford to get them everything they need because they’re just getting by, so for most kids, that’s where they go to get their full meal,” Traci Howell, Executive Director of Tie and Doll, Inc.

Research shows kids dealing persistent hunger miss more days of school than well fed children.

“They can’t focus,” Howell says. “And so, you have behavioral problems in the classroom, they can’t focus, so you’re sitting there thinking they’re a bad kid, but it may not be they’re a bad kid; they’re hungry. They’re basically acting out, that they’re hungry.”

The food collected will be stuffed into backpacks, which will then be handed out to students who could really use the help.

Here are some of the recommended items being requested to fill student backpacks.