Feed at-risk Middle Schoolers

My name's Elizabeth. I'm a tutor for kids at a low-income, at-risk middle school in East Austin.

I teach Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8th period and after school, and Saturday mornings. For the after school program, the school provides a snack.

Last Saturday morning a 6th grade boy came up to me and asked, "Miss, do we have any snacks? I'm hungry."

I wasn't thinking. I asked, "Well, didn't you have breakfast?"

He looked back at me with the saddest brown eyes and said, "No, miss."

Of course, I didn't have any food on me at all and there aren't any vending machines in the school. I had nothing to give him and I wanted to cry. I asked our coordinator if there were any snacks for the kids and she told me no, not on Saturdays.

I could literally hear his tummy grumbling as we worked. Then I found out more of my kids hadn't had breakfast. I feel sick now just thinking of it. Hungry kids in my care and there was nothing I could do about it.

My school is 93% free and reduced lunch. 93%. 67% of our students are at risk for dropping out. This is a student population in need.

Saturday we feed the kids lunch, pizza bought by the principal, but we don't have any breakfast for them. That's gonna change. I won't have hungry kiddos on my watch. I can't handle it.

I will not spend another Saturday morning listening to grumbling tummies. I can't.

This is why I need your help.

I'm raising money so that I can provide a good, healthy breakfast for these kids every Saturday. I want to buy fresh fruit, whole grain cereal, yogurt, and breakfast bars that aren't loaded with HFCS and food coloring.  I'd love to be able to pick up breakfast tacos on my way in to work some weeks, this is Austin after all! I want to feed them and feed them well.

The more money I raise, the better breakfast I can afford. All the money I raise here will go directly into getting healthy, fresh food for these kids to enjoy. 

Thank you so so much for your help and I will be posting updates of the breakfasts we serve on my Facebook.  If you know any restaurants or businesses that would be willing to donate food or sponsor a week directly, let me know. 

Let's feed these kids and feed them well. No kid should be hungry.