By Tom MacCallum | For the Daily Journal

There has been no lack of “Helping Hands” in Richmond County for the past eight years of the Backpack Pals program in the county’s public schools.

What began as an initial program at Rohanen Primary School in February 2007 with 50 students has since expanded to every public school in the county with the exception of Richmond Senior High School.

Before adding middle schools and the Ninth-Grade Academy in recent years, the program was serving nearly 500 students with weekend backpacks stuffed with healthful foods, said Kim Lindsey, one of the event coordinators.

Helping Hands works also with counselors at schools, including the high school, to provide food at any time to students considered homeless.

Lindsey is presently lining up volunteers for the “guest packer” part of the program for the 2015-16 school year.

“The list of volunteers is longer than the weeks they are needed,” she said. “It is a joy for those who volunteer, interesting and wonderful to see.”

It takes about an hour on packing days for the hundreds of bags to be filled with assembly-line speed.

Volunteers include some of the participants in the United Way “Day of Caring” event which this year will be held Thursday, Sept. 10; scouting dens and packs, industries and mercantile groups, churches and senior citizens groups.

“It has been an educational opportunity for youth groups to experience what it is like to give back to others,” Lindsey said.

PREPARING LISTS

Within the next two weeks, schools will formulate their list of students. Lindsey said Backpack Pals will initially prepare for 350 although she is aware more will be needed. Cordova School is automatically covered for every student.

Permission slips have to go home from schools. Eligibility is based on program priorities.

“Sometimes school counselors have to make home visits to explain the program so there are no misconceptions,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey has been involved in the program from its inception to the present. The parent corporation for the program is Helping Hands of Hamlet, Inc. The headquarters for distribution is in a building behind the Church of God of Prophecy on N.C. 177 south of Hamlet.

Pastor Steve Crews of the church is the overall director of Helping Hands and leader of the packing and distribution part of the program.

NONPROFIT CORPORATION

Helping Hands is a charitable non-affiliated nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation which just happens to have a lot of church members volunteering to work with it.

“We are 100 percent volunteer, 100 percent self-sustaining which means no local, state or federal funds are involved; we have to pay one cent on a pound of food received from the Food Bank in Moore County and rely on donations,” Lindsey said.

It is a Richmond County United Way partner. Individuals can donate directly to the program with funds or “kid-friendly” foods for which there is a listing of appropriate items — appropriate meaning children will likely eat them.

Helping Hands by itself also has other community outreach programs. There is an emergency food bank supplemental program it administers provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

During summer months, the group administers a USDA summer feeding program for children providing some 100 breakfasts and lunches at four different community centers in the county.

“None of these fund are mixed,” Lindsey said.

BACKPACKS

“In the beginning, we would fill backpacks and take to the schools on Friday,” she said. “Then return on Monday to get the empty backpacks to prepare for the next Friday. That was two round trips a week.”

Eventually, that become unsustainable. Now packets in plastic bags are delivered by volunteers from several Richmond County veterans’ organizations in the Backpack Pals truck to each school. Students pick up their individual backpacks before going home each Friday afternoon.

The veterans rotate weeks in every month. American Legion Post 147 Legionnaire Carlton Hawkins is in charge of that stage of the operation. He schedules veterans from Post 147, American Legion Post 49, AMVETS Post 316, Marine Corps League Detachment 1252 and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1022.

Veterans participating include: Joe Richardson and Al Cobb of Post 49; Hawkins, Wayne Johnson, Mike Smith, Thomas Schoonover, Robert L. Steele, David Williams and John Carr of Post 147; Ben Suggs, William H. Carlisle Jr. and Jerry Shepard of Detachment 1252; and John McDonald of Chapter 1022.

Lacy Shepherd and Patty Davis of AMVETS Post 316 Ladies Auxiliary both pull double duty when needed for Post 316 and Chapter 1022. And, all volunteering veterans are willing to help with deliveries at any time with any organization.

Gordon Elvis and sometimes others operate a smaller truck used to obtain items from the food bank and local merchants. The main truck was donated anonymously. Pee Dee Electric Membership Corp. donated a pickup truck for collections.

“We have some wonderful grocery stores in Richmond County which are very generous toward the program,” Lindsey said. Backpack Pals has at times been offered goods still on pallets.

The packages given to each child contain at least two juices, two snacks, two lunches, two dinners and other items amounting to 11 or 12 items. All are easy to open and single servings.

NUTRITION FIRST

In 2010, Sandhills Regional Hospital offered the services of its dietician to evaluate the food items and changes were made to assure maximum nutrition with “kid-friendly food.” But, Lindsey said, “No candy.”

Teachers at schools have told Lindsey the backpack of food has made a difference in the lives of many students.

“They have even reported seeing changes in the attitudes of students attributed to receiving weekend nutrition,” she said. And, students are now eager to receive a backpack.

When not involved in the actual distribution process, Lindsey spends time searching for and writing grants to fund the program, which are in addition to the individual contributions.

Besides the local charitable foundations and their major contributions, there are many corporate foundations that contribute to keep Backpack Pals in operation.

For information or to participate, call Helping Hands at 582-2226; or write to Helping Hands of Hamlet, Inc.; P.O. Box 1029, Hamlet, NC 28345. All donations are tax-deductible.

Tom MacCallum is a member of American Legion Post 147 and AMVETS Post 316.

Photo contributed by David Lindsey Volunteers meet in the storage building behind Church of God of Prophecy in Hamlet each week while school is in session to pack hundreds of bags with food items for students to take home from school for the weekend each Friday in individual black backpacks.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_IMG_7822-L.jpgPhoto contributed by David Lindsey Volunteers meet in the storage building behind Church of God of Prophecy in Hamlet each week while school is in session to pack hundreds of bags with food items for students to take home from school for the weekend each Friday in individual black backpacks.

Tom MacCallum | For the Daily Journal With the cooperation of multiple veterans’ organizations in Richmond County, Backpack Pals is able to deliver hundreds of weekend meals to students in public schools. Pastor Steve Crews of Church of God of Prophecy, in center in plaid shirt, is overall director of Helping Hands, Inc. Carlton Hawkins, fourth from left, coordinates veteran participation.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_DSCN8598.jpgTom MacCallum | For the Daily Journal With the cooperation of multiple veterans’ organizations in Richmond County, Backpack Pals is able to deliver hundreds of weekend meals to students in public schools. Pastor Steve Crews of Church of God of Prophecy, in center in plaid shirt, is overall director of Helping Hands, Inc. Carlton Hawkins, fourth from left, coordinates veteran participation.
Nonprofit, army of volunteers fuel Backpack Pals

By Tom MacCallum

For the Daily Journal