ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Marking what is being called a "dramatic" move to fight hunger among school age youngsters, a group of North Carolina credit unions are helping finance a local charity's distribution of daily food snacks in dozens of classrooms.
The project known as Food for Thought and covering six counties has been on the drawing boards for months "and now we're ready to kick off the distribution of snacks to a much wider area where there is tremendous need," explained Sheila Biddix, president of Oteen V.A. Federal Credit Union and of the Western Chapter of the North Carolina Credit Union League.
Working with the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, which awarded an initial $10,000 to get the project started under its Micro Community Grants, the 13 CUs have agreed to pay for the distribution of fruit and granola snacks starting this month to nearly 40,000 school children in dozens of western North Carolina schools.
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The CUs have also committed to a $6,000 yearly fee to continue the program in the future being run by Eblen Charities of Asheville.
In its weekly newsletter, Eblen, an agency serving adults and families suffering disabilities and illness, lauded the CUs for this "dramatic reach forward, expanding into four additional counties." They include: Henderson, Haywood, Transylvania, and Madison counties joining Asheville and Buncombe counties.
There are an estimated 50,000 students in the six counties.
"Operating under the premise that children cannot learn if they are hungry, this partnership ensures our school children will not have to face the day hungry," said Biddix.
Tens of thousands of snacks, which include fruit rolls, granola bars, Oreos and raisins, will be provided to local children.
Eblen had previously established Food for Thought in Buncombe County, which includes 28 schools before the Foundation, and the Western Chapter stepped in May 29 with the grant to extend the program to the other counties.
Credit unions involved include: Arcade CU, Asheville Postal CU, Carolina Mountains CU, Champion CU, Ecusta CU, Enka Community CU, McDowell Cornerstone CU, Mountain CU, Oteen V.A. FCU, Premier FCU, Telco CU, United Services CU and WNC Community CU.
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