Bright Futures Joplin awarded $25,000 in federal grant funding
State award to support Snack Packs for food-insecure students
JOPLIN, Mo. – Bright Futures Joplin has been awarded $25,000 in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant funding from the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Nonprofit Grant Program.
The funds will be used in support of Snack Packs to provide weekend nutrition to about 545 food-insecure early childhood, elementary and middle-school students across the Joplin school district.
“This couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Bright Futures Joplin executive director Amanda Stone. “Our number of food-insecure students continues to increase as food, housing and gas prices increase. We are very grateful to have this funding to help us stock our shelves, and to ultimately feed our kids who don’t have enough food when they’re not at school.”
Students who qualify as food-insecure receive Snack Packs every weekend through the school year. The packs include a rotating menu of whole grain breakfast items, shelf-stable snacks and easy-to-prepare meals including fruit and milk to help feed kids while they’re away from the stability of school breakfasts and lunches.
Bright Futures Joplin has been helping support Joplin Schools’ students living in economic deprivation since 2010. Snack Packs are entirely funded by donations, partnerships, food drives and grants.
Signed into law on March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act included funding for states and local governments to mitigate the negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic (aka “State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds”). Missouri received approximately $2.7 billion in State Fiscal Recovery Funds under this act.
Bright Futures Joplin is a grassroots, community-based program which helps students achieve success by matching student needs with resources via community partnerships. Through the support of local businesses, faith-based organizations, social service agencies, volunteers and parents, Bright Futures Joplin aims to strengthen the community by facilitating a brighter future for all students.
The Bright Futures framework was started in Joplin in 2010, and has since been implemented in more than 70 communities nationwide. More details about the program and its initiatives are available at brightfuturesjoplin.org.