Rotary helps with Backpack Buddies

Several Newton Rotarians packed sacks Saturday to be used for school children in the Newton Community School District as part of the Backpack Buddies program, which is part of Food Bank Of Iowa and provides a sack of child-friendly, easy to prepare foods to low-income children on weekends when they do not have access to the federal free and reduced-price meal program. The Newton school district is piloting a program that has identified 20 children at each of the district's K-3 schools to be given sacks of food each Friday during each month of school. The Rotarians sacked enough meals for the month of March. Pictured are Jerry Sawin, Marlene Main, Bob Main, Jack Maples and Marty Hoffert preparing the assembly line before the packing took place.