County approves funds for RIFA’s ‘Snack Backpack’ program
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JACKSON, Tenn. — A local nonprofit reacts to Madison County commissioners approving nearly $3,000 to support its “Snack Backpack” program. The Regional Inter-Faith Association program sends sacks of easily prepared food home with elementary school students at risk of going hungry over the weekend. School counselors say these hundreds of students often only get meals when they are at school. Officials at RIFA say they needed more funds because they had more students need the service than expected. “The past couple years we’ve seen an increase in kids, and we always budget for that increase, but this year we saw an additional increase and so we needed additional funds to be able to supply the need,” said Lindsay Dawkins, communications coordinator for RIFA. RIFA leaders say the new funds will allow them to continue the program for all of their students through the end of this school year.
