Bites 2 Go

OTHELLO — Qualifying elementary students in the Othello School District will be getting food to tide them over the weekends with the help of a partnership between the Othello Food Bank, Second Harvest and the Othello School District. The first meals of the “Bites 2 Go” program were delivered Thursday.

Food Bank Director Jose Garza said Bites 2 Go is the revival of a program that was a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s designed for children who may not have enough to eat when school is not in session.

“It’s food to be taken home,” Garza said. “They will be getting food every weekend. If there’s no school on a Friday, they will get their bags on Thursdays.”

Steve Durham, vice president of philanthropy child hunger programs for Second Harvest, said the bags for the elementary program are delivered ready-made.

“For now we’ll be making a monthly delivery,” Durham said. “There’s enough supply there until the next delivery date.”

Initially, Bites 2 Go will provide weekend meals for 55 children. Each bag feeds one child.

“So once we get these deliveries, we’ll get them to the schools and to the students as soon as possible. That way we can get the flow going and get the food into the kids’ hands,” Garza said.

Bites 2 Go is designed to make meal preparation child-friendly.

“A lot of the stuff is mostly food they can eat and not have to cook,” Garza said. “There’s a lot of stuff that doesn’t have to take a lot of effort, it’s just really easy to consume. Making sure these kids are getting fed something so that they’re not (coming) to school and being hungry.”

A child who has had little to eat — or nothing to eat — over the weekend has other things on his or her mind when school starts for the week.

“The issue that we see with childhood hunger is that kids are not coming into school Monday ready to learn,” Garza said. “They’re more focusing on what they’re eating.”

Being hungry is an even bigger obstacle for children who miss Monday morning breakfast.

“For the first two periods they’re probably not even thinking about school,” Garza said.

Bites 2 Go is designed to change that.

“If we can get them nourishment into them over the weekend, then Monday morning they can show up in a better position to learn, to stay in school,” Durham said.

Currently, Bites 2 Go is available at the district’s four elementary schools.

“Right now we’re just working with the elementary schools just to get it going. Hopefully, we’ll be able to expand and get the middle school and the high school involved as well, because there’s a huge need in that area (also),” Garza said.

Garza obtained a grant to pay for the program’s revival, but he’s seeking additional donations, including local donations, to sustain and expand it.

“We’re looking for organizations, churches, businesses to adopt (schools) and make a commitment for at least a year, sponsoring kids,” Garza said.

The full-year commitment is $180 per child for elementary students, but Garza said any and all donations are accepted.

“It goes from a month to a year. So if you can’t afford the year, you can do a month,” he said. “There are many options.”

People who want more information, or want to donate, can email Garza at jgarza@othellofood.org, or contact the food bank at 509-488-6044.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.