In an effort spearheaded by Board of Education member Holly Duncan in 2007, Chatham County Schools teamed with school and community partners to ensure that students in need have food at times when school is not in session.
The Fuel Up food program provides backpacks of food to students to meet their nutritional needs during weekends and breaks in the regular school year months. Food is provided through donations only, no tax dollars are spent on the program.
Each weekend the backpacks contain enough food for two breakfasts, two lunches, three dinners and two snacks. Additional food is provided for long weekends and school holidays.
During the 2007-2008 school year, Fuel Up started in three Chatham County Schools: Siler City Elementary, Moncure School and Virginia Cross School. In the spring of 2008, a small group of Perry Harrison School parents decided to bring this program to Perry Harrison School.
How the program works:
- Food donations are collected from Perry Harrison School families and from the community.
- The bags are packed by volunteers and discreetly handed out for the students to take home on Thursday afternoons (allowing an extra day if a child is absent).
- The students bring the bags back on Mondays to be repacked.
Click here for more information about backpack food programs.