The School Assistance Program began in 2006 with a single school and has now grown to include four school districts representing 13 individual elementary and junior high schools (Antioch School District 34, Lake Villa District 41, Emmons School District 33, and Grass Lake School District 36).

The School Assistance Program has three parts:

Approximately 500 children are provided for each day of the school year. Students are identified to be in need of assistance by either their parents when they register through the Open Arms food pantry or by the school when they sign up for the free or reduced lunch program, Children who participate in the program go to their school social worker’s office upon arrival at school to receive a healthy nutritious snack, as well as attend to their daily hygiene. They are each provided with deodorant, shampoo, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a hair brush, comb, etc., based on their personal need. While these are things most of us take for granted, for the children in this program this is a huge blessing that without the support and compassion of people like you they would otherwise have to go without.

The second part of this program provides children in need with a back pack on the last day of each school week filled with healthy, child friendly foods to ensure they have food to eat during the weekend. For many, most prominent our younger children, there is little or no nourishing food items in the household. We provide each child a back pack with nine meals, six snacks and juice. This program started as a pilot program in 2007 and will expand the pilot to all 13 schools based on need. We anticipate serving 60 children this year. A referral comes from each school as a child in need is identified by the school social worker. We provide a backpack with food in keeping the discreteness of the program as our children’s dignity is of utmost importance.

Our annual back-to-school drive also provides over 500 supply kits and 250 backpacks plus thousands of miscellaneous supplies to students in need at 21 local schools.