BrainPower in a BackPack

BrainPower In A BackPack

BrainPower Website Link

BrainPower Program Highlight Video

What Is BrainPower in a BackPack?

BrainPower -- providing more than 14 years of hunger relief in District 191!

In 2008, BrainPower in a Backpack started at one elementary school in ISD 191 with only 40 weekend food packages distributed weekly during the school year. Today, BrainPower plans to distribute 800 plus weekend food packages each week during the school year at all preschool, elementary and middle school locations serving students in Pre-K to 8th Grade. Help us continue BrainPower’s success with an online donation. 

What Is BrainPower in a BackPack?

BrainPower in a BackPack is an ISD 191 student volunteer project done in conjunction with ISD 191 Community Education. BrainPower is funded solely through monetary donations and food drives.  Burnsville high school students pack weekend food packages for preschool, elementary and middle school students throughout the district whose families struggle to put enough food on the table.  

BrainPower also includes two additional hunger relief programs:  191 Community Pantry and 191 Fresh Produce Distribution.  The Pantry is available all year to community members and families via a bi-monthly distribution the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at Diamondhead Education Center; Fresh Produce Distribution is available July - October on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Diamondhead.

How Does BrainPower in a BackPack Work?

During the school year, BrainPower plans to provide more than 800 students with a bag of food each week. These bags will include at least four meals and two snacks.  

The food BrainPower provides is kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare and nutritious requiring no refrigeration Students are involved in food drives and various aspects of fund raising. This year, ISD 191 BEST students are helping with the Thursday food packs. BEST students are also providing delivery services to two of the three middle school locations.

BrainPower's Top 10 Favorite Food Items -- sponsor a case today!!!

• Case of soup serving 48 students = $35.00
• Case of ramen noodles serving 96 students = $26.25
• Case of oatmeal serving 220 students = $42.00
• Case of cereal serving 96 students = $27.00
• Case of juice serving 40 students = $15.00
• Case of cheese sticks serving 160 students = $64.00
• Case of meat sticks serving 144 students = $64.00
• Case of sunflower seeds serving 150 students = $51.00
• Box of granola bars serving 64 students = $8.00
• Box of fruit snacks serving 90 students = $9.00

Sponsor a BrainPower pack for 600 students = $2,000

BOWLS FOR BRAINPOWER

BOWLS FOR BRAINPOWER NOVEMBER 14

During the school year, BHS high students and community members also make bowls for the annual Bowls for BrainPower fundraiser in support of BrainPower.  For more information on BOWLS please email us or visit the Bowls Website at: Bowls for BrainPower Website

Anticipated Outcomes

This project benefits people in several ways:

• Children who receive the food may show better rates of attendance.
• They may be energized for school and ready to learn (studies have shown a correlation between learning and nutrition).
• Teachers may find that students are more interested in participating in the classroom, rather than thinking about their next meal.
• Children may exhibit fewer negative behaviors that relate to not having enough to eat.
• Test scores may improve.
• Families will have a sense of relief that their children have enough to eat.
• Students who pack the backpacks will be making a contribution to families in our school district.
• Our community will feel good that the children are getting more of what they need and will have a better chance at success.
• We are raising awareness about local hunger issues.

We are very grateful that our community has embraced this project to improve the learning experience for these children.