Rotarians donate “fuel for learning” snacks to local elementary schools

 

Local Rotarians fill carts with healthy snacks for Dover’s elementary school children

(l-r) Nick Pellmen, Harry Cheney, Phil Rinaldi, Maggie Sinclair, and Ram Ramdev (missing from photo Gregg Dowty).

Health snacks during the school day provide fuel for learning but too often children come to class without anything extra to eat or drink. Thanks to feedback from Dover’s elementary school teachers about the needs of these young learners, Dover Rotary formed its Kids Closet Program four years ago to fill the needs identified by local teachers. 

Each year Rotarians gather at the local BJs to fill multiple carts with healthy snacks then deliver them to same day to all three elementary schools in Dover - Woodman Park, Garrison School and Francis G. Hopkins at Horne Street.

Project chair Gregg Dowty noted hunger makes concentrating on learning difficult and this program makes a difference during their school day. 

“It’s a good feeling when you can help kids learn and thrive during the school day,” Dowty said. “Too often kids that come to school without snacks are hungry and feel left out and embarrassed during snack breaks. We are filling that gap and with our annual shopping sprees while doing good in Dover.”

Kids Closet purchased $1,200 in large quantity snacks which provided over 3,300 individual snacks for the three elementary schools to be replenished in the Spring and donated $1,200 in gift cards for the guidance counselors in use at their discretion to support kids in need as part of the project’s $15,000 annual budget. Rotary’s Shoe and Boot program also gave counselors vouchers for parents with limited funds to purchase discounted shoes and boots for their children at Red’s Shoe Barn.