Items of interest
Tiger Packs
Tiger Packs is an initiative to combat hunger in the Grinnell-Newburg School District. Eligible K-8 students receive a weekly bag of kid-friendly, nutritious food to take home on the weekends while the high school students have access to a food pantry with a variety of healthy snacks and takeaway meals.
Tiger Packs was established in 2013 as a pilot program at Bailey Park Elementary with just 12 students, and the program has expanded to serve over 200 students from five area schools. Our numbers continue to grow as registration forms are now included with school enrollment materials. Any student who receives free or reduced lunch is automatically eligible, but students who have been identified as food insecure by school personnel may also participate. There is a clear indication of community need for this program as the percentage of students in the Grinnell – Newburg school district receiving free and reduced lunch has increased from 30.6% during the 2007-08 school year to 37% in the current academic year.
Tiger Packs touches a variety of community issues, particularly the link between nutrition, education, and poverty. Children who do not get enough healthy food to eat have greater difficulty concentrating in school, which leads to decreased performance. Tiger Packs is an important program because it not only combats a direct need with a short-term solution (feeding hungry children), but also works to address a fundamental cause of poverty: children who are not focused on their hunger will be better able to concentrate on their learning, and will be more likely to perform well in school, continue their education, and break the cycle of poverty.
This program relies on volunteers to support and sustain their efforts.
Please click the button below to get more in formation and signup to volunteer.
Looking for a healthy, kid-friendly snack this summer?
Try apple slices with peanut butter! 🍎🥜
This simple snack is packed with:
✅ Protein for growing bodies
✅ Fiber to keep kids feeling full
✅ Natural sweetness kids love
It's easy to prepare, affordable, and perfect for busy summer days. What are your family's favorite healthy snacks?
#TigerPacks #HealthyKids #SummerSnacks
🧡 It takes a village—and a Tiger Pack—to combat youth hunger in our community. 🐅
Did you know that roughly 35% of students in the Grinnell-Newburg School District qualify for free or reduced-price meals? While school is out for the summer, our mission to keep Grinnell’s kids nourished never stops.
Tiger Packs works hard to support our local youth: 🎒 Providing kid-friendly, nutritious weekend food bags to PreK-8th grade students. 🍏 Supplying fresh fruit weekly to our Middle and High School students. 🛒 Supporting the Grinnell High School Food Market with easy takeaway meals and pantry staples.
Every dollar donated goes directly toward purchasing food and fresh produce to ensure no child goes hungry. Help us prep for a strong upcoming school year and keep our community supported.
👉 Donate today to make a direct impact: ahrensfamilyfoundation.org/tiger-packs/
#SupportLocalYouth #CombatHunger #TigerPacks
SUN Bucks ar HERE for the SUMMER!
SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, provides extra grocery benefits to eligible children over the summer break, when kids aren't getting the meals they usually eat at school. It is available to families who could use support buying food.
Most eligible children are automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks, but some will need to apply.
To see if you need to apply, or for more information, visit the Iowa Department of Health and Human
Services’ (Iowa HHS) website at hhs.iowa.gov/sunbucks or contact their team at 1-877-347-5678.
🗓️ Need to know where to find free, nutritious meals for your kids this summer? We've got you covered! 🏫🍎
No school doesn't mean no meals. Check out these fantastic local resources available to Grinnell families over the summer months:
☀️ Grinnell-Newburg FREE Summer Meals Program
• 📍 Where: Bailey Park Elementary (210 8th Ave, Grinnell)
• 📅 When: Monday through Friday, June 8th – July 31st
• ⏰ Times: Breakfast: 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM | Lunch: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
• 👥 Who: Open to ALL children and teens 18 and under. No registration or ID required! (Adults can purchase breakfast for $2.50 or lunch for $5).
📚 More Local Resources: We also recommend checking out the latest resource guide provided by the Grinnell Food Coalition for additional pantry locations, mobile distributions, and community meals.
• ➡️ ahrensfamilyfoundation.org/grinnelfoodcoalition/
Please share this post to make sure every family in our district knows where to find a warm breakfast and a healthy lunch this summer!
#GrinnellResources #SummerMeals
Tiger Packs wouldn’t be possible without our incredible packing volunteers! 📦🧡
Every other week, this dedicated group comes together to pack weekend food bags for local students. Their time, energy, and teamwork help ensure hundreds of kids have food to take home for the weekend.
Thank you to our amazing volunteers for making this program possible. We appreciate you! 🐾
After the bags are packed, our delivery volunteers step in to make sure Tiger Packs reach each school.
These volunteers help transport food packages so they are ready to go home with students on Fridays. Their behind-the-scenes work is a vital part of the program.
A huge thank you to our delivery volunteers for helping fuel Grinnell students each week! 💛🐯