LOGAN — Jenine Hewitt, a member of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, volunteers with Blessings in a Backpack, a program that provides food to children in three elementary schools in Logan during the weekend. "These schools have over 70 percent poverty and the students qualify for free or reduced lunches," said Hewitt. "The students are given breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday and take home a backpack full of food for their families on the weekend. We fill about 25 backpacks at each school with food such as applesauce, oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables, and other ready-to-make meals." Peggy Reese, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, started the program as a Christmas project in 2010. "We decided to use backpacks so that students didn’t look out of the ordinary and didn’t feel embarrassed," she said. "With the help of neighbors, we fill the backpacks every week and the students bring them back on Monday. I never know if I will have enough money or food for the next week, but I have been able to garner help from some local businesses. And while the charity of local grocery stores has certainly taken a load off my shoulders, it’s still not a guarantee." Hewitt is working to get the program under Loaves and Fishes, a community meal provided by the Cache Community Connections organization that works on community projects. "That way we will have access to the Logan Food Bank and not have the worry of running out of food," she said.
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