J.R. Simplot's Don Plant is partnering with The Idaho Foodbank this August to support our local students during our annual Back to School campaign! Every year, The Idaho Foodbank puts on the campaign to help raise funds and awareness for childhood food insecurity across our communities. Right now, in East Idaho, 1 in 6 children do not have regular and consistent access to nutritious food. Through this campaign and the funds raised from it, The Idaho Foodbank is able to operate our two school-focused programs - the Backpack Program and the School Pantry program - serving thousands of students across the region each year.

The Backpack Program allows us to provide small bags of food to children in need to take home with them over the weekend where they no longer have access to the school meals that they often rely on. And our School Pantry program lets us stock pantries in schools across the region for students of all ages to access in a safe and comfortable location. Out of our Pocatello warehouse, we work with roughly 70-80 schools across the region through one or both of these programs. Every year, we hear back from teachers and counselors and administrators that the kids who are using these resources are being more social, doing better in their classes, and are generally more active and engaged.

That's why partnerships from local organizations are so important. The more we can spread the word about these resources, then 1) the more people can help to support the programs, and 2) more people in need will learn about opportunities available to them. No child should have to go to school on Monday mornings having been hungry the whole weekend, and this campaign is our attempt to address that issue that so many of our kids face.