'Blessings in a Backpack' in Waukesha County prepares to feed more than 3,600 students this school year

 

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- According to the latest data, 9 million people are struggling with food insecurity across the US. For those families, back-to-school costs are even more of a burden. 

Blessings in a Backpack Waukesha County Chapter is offering a little relief for those families.

Granola, beef sticks, cereal and soup -- each bag is packed with 1,400 calories of foods to help get them through the weekend. 

"We are preparing to feed 3,600 kids," said Susan Reed, the managing director for Blessings in a Backpack Waukesha Chapter.

Every Friday, kids at more than 40 schools across Waukesha County are sent home with one of the bags in their backpack. 

"We do expect the need to increase with the prices at the grocery store. Families are impacted by the cost of food, and we certainly expect to see an increase in the course of the school year," said Reed.

"I just -- as a resident of Waukesha County, [and] I just found it amazing that there was this depth of hunger. Then to find out there were so many kids hungry...it was like, okay. I'm in. This is what I'm going to do," said the founder of the chapter, Regina Estrada.

In order to feed 3,600 students, Blessings in a Backpack needs to raise about $500,000 per school year. The biggest fundraiser is the upcoming Bridge the Gap Gala on Oct.12.

"We have no federal funding," said Reed. 

Estrada says they're always trying to get the word out. 

"What we need is more people out in the community, more business leaders to be aware of Blessings in a Backpack and the impact it's going to have," said Estrada.

You can get tickets to the gala HERE. And you can find support from Blessings in a Backpack in Waukesha County HERE.