To show Nemours’ commitment to boosting the health of our community, executives from Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida partnered with Blessings in a Backpack to fill backpacks to be shared with students on the free lunch programs at Winegard Elementary School. This community gift bridges the gap between a child’s school lunch on Friday and breakfast on Monday. That is 65 hours of no meals that Nemours’ partnership with the nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack is addressing for the duration of the school year.

The backpack stuffing event was part of Nemours Cares, a program where Nemours employees are given 8 hours of Volunteer Time Off each year.

Christina Howell, Winegard Elementary School Principal, says it is very exciting that these resources are available to their students year round. Students are able to focus on learning without having to worry about their next meal.

Sarah Carlson, Managing Director at Blessings in a Backpack, says there would not be funding or support for students to receive benefits without partners like Nemours.