By Bobbi Pippin
Snack in a Backpack, hosted their 12th annual Champions for Children fundraiser at Fightingtown Tavern in downtown Blue Ridge Thursday, February 29. People in attendance enjoyed food, drinks, live music, and raffle prizes.
This event is hosted in honor of those in the community who have gone above to serve families and children in need.
Snack in a Backpack is a nonprofit who’s goals are to ease the burden of childhood hunger in Fannin County. They do this by providing children of low income families with food for the weekends, school breaks, and other times when school meals will not be provided to the child.
This food that is provided to them includes kid-friendly snacks and meals that are also shelf-stable, so that they may keep their bellies full and have one less thing to worry about as they enter each school day. As founder of Snack in a Backpack, Gaye Whalton, said, “You’ve got to feed the stomach before you can feed the mind.”
At Champions for Children, different individuals and businesses were honored for their excellence in service to the children of Fannin County. Snack in a Backpack Chairwoman Jeanie May stated, “We are reaching more children than ever, and our Champions for Children honorees, along with their networks, make our collective impact greater.”
Snack in a Backpack is celebrating its 15 year anniversary. For the past 15 years, many people in the community have donated their time and money to Snack in a Backpack. Founding and emeritus board member, Carl Pruett said, ““Blue Ridge is such a giving community. The people and the businesses genuinely believe in the premise of why Snack was organized.”
So far, Snack in a Backpack has provided 66,000 meals to children in need this 2023/2024 school year. Since its founding in 2009, Snack in a Backpack has provided over one million meals.
Bill & Scherry Echelberger
Snack in a Backpack honored their Community Champion, Bill and Sherry Echelberger at the Champions for Children Fundraiser on Tuesday night, Feburary 29.
Snack in a Backpack Executive Director Debbie Beck states, “The Echelbergers are known for their care and concern for those in need.” Sherry has shown her support for the children and families in Fannin County by being the Board Chair of Fannin County Family Connection and helping to start the Fannin County Chapter of Impact100. Bill has played a large role as president of Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge for two years as well as leading the Family Meals Packing Team for the Summer Meals Program at Snack in a Backpack.
Grumpy Old Men Brewing
Grumpy Old Men Brewing were given the Business Champion award at the Champions for Children fundraiser for Snack in a Backpack. Snack in a Backpack Executive Director, Debby Beck stated, “Supporting children, as well as fur babies, is simply woven into the Grumpy Old Men Brewing culture, and that shines through to their customers.”
Grumpy Old Men Brewing owners, Kristie and Jeff Young, along with their Taproom Manager, Bethany Meyer, have given back to the community through their many fundraisers to raise money for Snack in a Backpack among other organizations. In 2023, they hosted an April Fool’s Day breakfast that turned out to be a great success. On top of their fundraisers, Jeff still volunteers his time packing meal bags on Wednesday mornings.
Cayley Hamilton
The Early Education Chapion honored at the Snack in a Backpack Champions for Children fundraiser was Cayley Hamilton for her advocacy for children’s literacy.
Hamilton started a nonprofit three years ago called “Feed and Read.” Hamilton obtains different children’s books through online advocacy, utilizing social media and an Amazon wish list. Books are then organized by reading level and placed in the meal bags for Snack in a Backpack before summer break. Hamilton explained, “It’s important to me that young children have access to reading materials. Giving kids an opportunity to discover a love for reading is crucial for early childhood education, and I want them to realize they should never quit turning over the next page in their lives.”
Kim King of Knitwits
Kim King was honored as the Heart for Children Champion at the Champions for Children event.
Deby Beck, Snack executive director, stated, “Kim King served on the original Snack in a Backpack board in 2009. Though she no longer holds a formal title with the organization, the children remain in her heart and her prayers.”
King has contributed to the community through her art of knitting. She started a group called “Knitwits” to make different items for those in need. They knit hats for newborns at the hospital, several different comfort items for those in need of emotional or physical comfort, and hats for children in the Snack in a Backpack program. Each stitch is prayed over.