Rangers Supporting Rangers

Providing weekend nutritional support for students in the Forest Lake Area School District.

WHO ARE WE?

We are a committee of Forest Lake Area School District Staff and Community Members with a passion for providing nutritional support for hungry students. We believe children should focus on learning and excelling in school. It is challenging enough growing up these days. Children don't need to be distracted by being hungry.  We offer a no questions asked solution to help students with food needs over weekends and school breaks so they arrive Monday ready to learn. 

We were inspired by our school district mascot which is a  Ranger.  We are Rangers Supporting Rangers.

HOW DID WE GET STARTED?

Our first unofficial grassroots call to action was in February of 2014.  A local church was having a food drive for local school backpack programs.  However, Forest Lake was not on the list.  Members contacted the school’s homeless liaison and found out that our school did not have a program in place.  So began the first effort.

Our goal was to help students in need over the upcoming spring break.  Many of these students qualify for free or reduced price lunches and breakfasts.  However, if school is not in session those resources are not available. 

First Resource Bank and their employees purchased food and packed bags for 5 days’ worth of breakfasts, snacks and lunches for 50 students.

This got the wheels turning for the start of our organization.  We met a couple times over the next few months.  It was August or September when we really got serious about how can we get this done.  It’s an overwhelming task with 8 elementary, 2 junior highs, a high school and an alternative learning center.

WHY?

The community support we have received already has been amazing.  Every person we tell about our project is surprised to find out we have hungry kids here in Forest Lake.  We need to help the students by providing their basic needs which will allow them to focus on their school work and not the crummies in their tummies which is a real thing.  School nurses have a larger number of students in their offices on Mondays with stomachaches not because of illness but because of hunger.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

We found our first partnerships with our local food shelf, Family Pathways, and students in our district’s STEP program who pack our bags.  The STEP program is designed to help adult age students with disabilities learn vocational and home living skills, providing them with the greatest opportunities for an independent and fulfilling future.

We also partner with several local churches and The Sheridan Story.

Together we are leading the way to help provide our district’s students with food and may expand to other basic needs at a later date. 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

We are completely funded by donations and grants.  We are looking for individuals, families, or organizations to help support our program. We purchase all of our food for the packs. This costs $129/student for the year.

THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for taking time to listen to our story.