©Copyright 2004-2007
Cannon Falls Rotary Club
All rights reserved
Email contact@cannonfallsrotary.org
To nourish a mind, we must first nourish the body.
The Need
In Cannon Falls schools 25% of the children qualify for free or reduced
lunches. For many of these children, school breakfast and lunch are the only meals they can count on.

The program
The problem of childhood hunger is not simply an education or a health issue. It is a moral issue. Child hunger hampers a young person's ability to learn and the child becomes more likely to suffer from poverty asan adult. Scientific evidence suggests that hungry children are less likely to become productive citizens.
Packing for the weekend is a program designed to feed
families who do not have reliable access to food on non-school days.  Each family involved in the Packing for the Weekend program will receive a back of food that will feed the number of children in the household for 3 meals and snacks for the weekend.
Working with Channel One Food Bank, special attention is given to ensure the meals have nutritional value, are easy to prepare, and can be carried home in a backpack.  Some of the foods served include cereals, peanut butter, dry soup mix, fruit cups, canned tuna or chicken, oatmeal packs, and granola bars.
Families can sign up for the program through the elementary social worker and identities remain confidential with the social worker.
Anticipated outcomes of participation in Packing for the Weekend for students:
What can you do?
Volunteer - Volunteers are needed to shelve food and pack backpacks each week.  Packing is done on Thursday's at one of two times slots: 12:00 Noon or 3:30 PM.  Please contact Stacy Coyle at 507-263-8513 for available times and to sign up.
Donate - Because of the relationship with Channel One we can purchase food much cheaper than a grocery store, so please consider giving a cash donation.  Some suggestions:
Please donate online at www.givemn.org.

Alternatively, checks can be made payable to Cannon Falls Rotary Foundation with memo of 'Packing For The Weekend' and mailed to:
Cannon Falls Rotary
P.O. Box 155
Cannon Falls, MN 55009
Click for more information:
• Provide needed nutrition
• Improve attention span
• Ease anxieties
• Raise academic performance
• Reduce absenteeism
• Increase self esteem
• $10 Provide a weekend of food for a family
• $50 Support five hungry families for a weekend
• $150 Sponsor a child for a year
• $600 Sponsor the program for a month
• $Other - Any size donation is welcome