BY LORI CHRISTENSON
Thanks in part to continued financial
support from the Yellowstone Club
Community Foundation, the Gallatin
Valley Food Bank, in partnership with
Ophir School, is bringing the Healthy
KidsPack Program to students in the
Big Sky community. No state or federal
funds are received for the KidsPack
Program, and food is purchased locally
and packaged by Food Bank volunteers.
The KidsPack Program Mission is to
increase the number of school-aged
children in Gallatin County who have
access to healthy foods while increasing
knowledge about nutrition and healthy
lifestyles.
The program provides children with
free, nutritious, non-perishable, and
easy to prepare meals and snacks they
can take home over the weekend.
Participating children are discreetly
given a small plastic bag of food they
can slip into their backpacks on Friday
afternoons.
This helps local families:
– By providing take-home, nutri-
tious, kid friendly meals and
snacks that follow USDA guide-
lines and recommendations
– By encouraging healthy eating
– By providing food during times
when school meals are not avail-
able
For more information about the pro-
gram, contact Casey Anderson at Ophir
School, or Lori Christenson at the
Gallatin Valley Food Bank lori@gallat-
invalleyfoodbank.org or 586-7600.
