Trimmings, a Saratoga native, “always thought there is so much wealth here, so how are there kids that are really this hungry?” she says. After graduating from SSHS, Trimmings pursued her music career in college, eventually coming back to Saratoga to grow her family and her career in music education at Dorothy Nolan elementary and St. Clements church.
SNACpack’s start was a lightbulb moment for SSCSD to do better, “it was very eye opening and created a sense of empathy and compassion that wasn’t really there before” she says.
Having always worked with children, whether at school, church, or home, she is very involved with the youth of the community. Her inspiration sparked SNACpack, “8 years ago, we brought a young man into our home... because I just knew something was off” she says. Turns out he came from a broken home and under his circumstances was unable to have enough food. She then I thought “I know there is one hungry kid, but if there is one, I wonder how many there really are?”
As progress continues, it is necessary for Saratogians to continue supporting SNACpack, without your help, they could not help the range of kids they do. Go to www. SNACpackprogram.org to get involved, sign up for packing, or donate.
In the future, Karey hopes to create a SNACpack sponsored scholarship to support these kids in further education, “because school can be a lot more challenging when you’re hungry.”
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“With this child’s blessing and his guidance... I was all in. To speak at each school and make the community aware” she says. When Karey presented the idea to the board of education, many were shocked because, “these are kids in Saratoga Springs, that walk by you, that sit by you and who literally do not have food on the weekends... yet are aware that the student next to them has $300 Nikes on” says Trimmings. “In a way they’re ghost children who are just not seen” which is why SNACpack works to change that. To “make these kids realize they have adults who care about them... and see them” she says. Over time, a support network has grown throughout school and the community, thanks to an amazing team of teachers, faculty and volunteers who make SNACpack “more than just food on a Friday afternoon... these kids are supported in many ways” says Trimmings. Such as including toiletries in bags, accommodating home deliveries, and having a team of social workers in every building with whom we work with to help these kids obtain additional services they may need. The process has become a weekly routine, every Saturday Karey orders food from the Northeast Regional Foodbank using donated money, “volunteers pick up the food on Thursdays and bring it to St. Clements... where volunteers pack bags of food... on Friday, the bags are brought to schools and a team in each building distributes them.” saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
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