OUC employees and their families joined the Orlando Magic to combat food insecurity for local students through Blessings in a Backpack on Thursday, Feb. 29.
Nearly 100 volunteers filled 800 bags with nonperishable food to benefit students who might not have access to affordable healthy food on weekends.
Volunteers prepared packages with low-sodium, ready to eat soup, fruit cups, whole wheat goldfish crackers and reduced sugar cereal. Heartfelt and encouraging messages, created by volunteers, also were included.
The packages will be distributed to students at Orange County Public School’s Academic Center for Excellence (ACE), located in the historic Parramore community. ACE is a certified community partnership school, which brings together community partners to strengthen the well-being of students, their families and the community.
At ACE, students, from preschool to 8th grade, receive high-quality academics, tutoring and mentoring programs, onsite health services, athletic and arts programs, and before- and after-school services.
This volunteer project is one of many programs OUC supports to enhance educational opportunities, health and wellness programs, jobs training and sustainable housing in OUC’s Empowerment Zone, which encompasses downtown Orlando’s 32805 ZIP code.
OUC presented Blessings in a Backpack’s Orlando chapter with a charitable donation to support their mission of providing hunger-free weekends to elementary school children in Central Florida. During the school year, the nonprofit organization serves nearly 6,000 children in 51 schools across Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties.
OUC and Orlando Magic volunteers and their families prepare packages of food for local students.
OUC and Orlando Magic volunteers and their families create cards of encouragement to be included in the food packages.
Linda Ferrone, OUC chief customer and marketing officer, presents a charitable donation to Sarah Carlson, managing director of Blessings in a Backpack Orlando chapter.