Security Service Charitable Foundation has donated $5,000 to Snack Pak 4 Kids San Antonio (SP4KSA), an organization created to provide weekend food supplements to students in need. SP4KSA not only addresses nutritional concerns, but also functions as a learning enhancement tool for impoverished children, solving their weekend hunger plight so they are healthier and better prepared to learn during the school week.
“Hunger impacts a child’s ability to learn,” said Leslie Kingman, executive director for Snack Pak 4 Kids San Antonio. “Security Service’s critical $5,000 donation is allowing us to serve the needs of chronically hungry children, addressing the relationship between food insecurity and learning.”
Since 2012, the program has doubled each year; now serving 22 public schools in four school districts feeding over 1,800 children in Bexar County. In Bexar County alone, over 120,000 children are considered to be food insecure. Of those, it is estimated that 10-20% face chronic hunger and lack adequate nutrition to lead a healthy, productive life.
“While Federal Nutrition programs provide meals for students during the school week, weekends can be especially challenging for impoverished children,” said Brandy Ralston-Lint, senior vice president of corporate communications for Security Service Federal Credit Union. “That’s why Security Service is honored to support programs like Snack Pak 4 Kids San Antonio in their efforts to supply adequate nutrition to children in order for them to thrive educationally and beyond.”
Snack Pak 4 Kids SA uses 100 percent of its donations to pay for food products, has no paid staff, and focuses on honoring the dignity of each child recipient. Teachers identify students who may be experiencing chronic hunger on the weekends. After parental/guardian permission is obtained, Snack Paks are distributed to the child each Friday, discreetly placed in the child’s backpack by their teacher.
The Security Service Charitable Foundation helps further Security Service Federal Credit Union’s corporate goal of community service by contributing to deserving organizations and causes in the credit union's market areas that better the community and help to improve the quality of life.
Members of the Security Service Volunteer Corps present a $5,000 donation to Leslie Kingman (center), executive director for Snack Pak 4 Kids San Antonio.