News Summary

As grocery prices rise, Donna McDonald said buying enough food to last a month for her six children is tough.

"It was difficult because they wanted to constantly snack and I had to stretch it to make sure everybody had enough," said McDonald, a single mother who relies on food stamps to help feed her children ages 5 to 18.

McDonald, 34, of Hamilton, got extra help last year from the Backpack Program, which provides bags of food to children every Friday.

Her children — Malcom, 10, Candice Strawder, 11 and Jeremiah McDonald-Hemphill, 5, get boxes of cereal, pudding, breakfast bars, canned goods and other items.

"With everything going up, that little extra help carries us through the weekend,'' McDonald said. "We have the snacks we need for the weekend and it just gives us something extra to help us through the month."

The program, co-operated by the Butler County Educational Service Center and Shared Harvest Food Bank, serves children who receive free or reduced lunch and ensures they don't go hungry on weekends.

When it began in May 2007, the program fed 439 children. It now serves nearly 1,300. And with the sluggish economy, rising gas and food costs, organizers expect more families to participate.

"As more families struggle to fill the gas tank they're having to decide whether to go to work or buy food," said Suzanne Prescott of the county ESC. "The food makes a big difference for the kids and their families."

Nationwide, more than 110 foodbank networks operate backpack programs in 39 states and Washington, D.C.

In Butler County, the program has been offered in Fairfield, Hamilton, New Miami and Lakota schools since 2007, and Middletown schools, which has the highest participation level, was added this year, said Tina Osso, Shared Harvest director.

Studies shows that children in such nutrition programs have higher grades, are more attentive and are healthier, said Osso, citing a Miami University study.

By the numbers

Number of Butler County students receiving food in the backpack program.

Middletown City Schools - 351

Hamilton City Schools - 314

Lakota Local Schools - 279

Fairfield City Schools - 244

New Miami Local Schools - 66

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2180 or tlatta@coxohio.com.

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