The story, which appeared the first Saturday Spring Hill students were taking home food-laden backpacks thanks to our club's efforts, outlined how the program works and explained its benefits. Those include reducing absenteeism and discipline problems while increasing academic achievement.

It began:

"Some Spring Hill ISD students will be going home with a little heavier backpacks this weekend. The district on Friday rolled out the Backpack Meal Program with the help of the Longview Rotary Club. The program puts meal packs, called “Panther Packs,” from the East Texas Food Bank into the backpacks of students who need a little extra food at home."

It also pointed out our club earlier began a backpack meal program in Longview ISD, which now serves about 200 students each week.

Thanks to Rotarians Sam Forester and Richard Manley for their efforts over the past year to launch this program in Spring Hill.

If you missed the story, read it here: http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/east-texas-schools-backpack-program-keeps-students-fed-on-weekends/article_06d3e91b-4f98-5d87-bf33-fcc8f3879e41.html