Polk County Backpack Program receives 300-plus donations

By Ethan Nahté

Local businesses, schools and organizations met at Shoe Sensation in Mena on Aug. 4 to collect over 300 backpacks. The backpacks are to be donated to all three school districts within Polk County: Mena, Ouachita River and Cossatot River.

These backpacks are part of the Polk County Backpack Program. They will be given to children who might suffer from food insecurity. The program is designed to provide for hungry children at times when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations. The Mena Lioness Lions Club (MLLC) have supported this initiative since 2013. The MLLC provide the weekly food bags.

Each backpack consists of 12-15 items such as granola bars, ramen noodles, peanut butter/cheese and crackers, animal crackers, cereal bars, applesauce, cheese crackers, snack bars, trail mix, and oatmeal.

Ravan Wagner, AVP of Lending at Union Bank of Mena, said, “The backpacks were made possible by numerous community individuals,

Shoe Sensation and a large donation from Nidec. Shoe Sensation has been accepting donations for these bags all summer.

“In the past, children that received a weekly food bag, took it home in a plastic store bag. We feel that the new backpacks will be better for the children not only by being easier to carry, but also provide a little more privacy.”

“[Plastic bags] kind of defeats the purpose,” Robyn Ashworth said of the food being sent home in plastic