Pack the Park fun run raises over $9,200 for Friday Food Packs

Volunteer crew at Pack the Park

By Silje Sodal

On Saturday, June 3rd, over 430 participants gathered at the Lake Forest Park Town Center to kick off the second annual Pack the Park family fun run to benefit the Friday Food Packs program.

This essential program, organized through the LFP Presbyterian Church, serves over 100 students at Lake Forest Park and Brookside Elementary Schools by providing weekend food bags.

Presenting the check to the Friday Food Packs program

Over $9,200 was raised to serve our most vulnerable students – nearly half of the program’s annual budget!

While free and reduced breakfast and lunch options are available at public schools during the week, low-income and homeless students often experience food insecurity over the weekends.

At the finish line

Every Friday, students are discreetly given a bag of food containing easy to prepare foods which is then tucked into their backpacks and brought home.

This five year-old program strives to provide the nourishment these students need so that they can begin to experience success academically, developmentally and socially. 

With proceeds from last year’s event, the Friday Food Packs program expanded its efforts and began partnering with Shorecrest High School.

With funding from this year’s event, the program intends to deepen its outreach at existing partnering schools and explore partnerships with other neighborhood schools.

Community Engagement Coordinator Leslie Eck said, “I am humbled by the support from our community and the Brookside and Lake Forest Park PTAs for the Friday Food Packs program… 

"Thanks to everyone who worked on this event and who came out and participated - you are helping us to change the outcome for so many kids in our schools.”

An additional incentive to participate came from the friendly competition between the two elementary schools. The school with the highest number of registrations takes home the Spirit Cup, and this year Lake Forest Park Elementary took the trophy home to display until next year. 

Principal Aimee Miner congratulations LFP kids

The Lake Forest Park and Brookside Elementary School PTAs coordinated extensively over the last six months to recruit sponsors, secure permits and organize the event.

Special thanks to Mayor Jeff Johnson, LFP Council Member Semra Riddle, Shoreline School District Superintendent Rebecca Miner, School Board Directors David Wilson and Debi Ehrlichman and State Representative Gerry Pollet for their participation and support.

Principals Simard and Miner

Thanks also to our wonderful community sponsors:

• Pacesetters: James Alan Salon and Spa; Nina Svino DDS,NTP; and Homes for Heroes
• School Spirit: Planet Fitness; Pepitas Bilingual Preschool; LFP Rotary; Forest Park Cleaners, Galvin Realty Law Group; and Soundview Psychiatric Services, PLLC 
• Champions: NorthShore Capital Funding; Debi and Peter Ehrlichman; Spain Orthodontics; Lee’s Grill and Bento; Tree House Dentistry for Kids; OMstead Northwest; Brookside Girl Scout / Brownie Troop #46626; HomeSmart and Avid Angler
• Team Sponsors: King-Soto Family; Jill Brady and Scott Smith
• In-kind: Starbucks, Thriftway, Albertsons and the band Stumbling Fiddler

Finally, thanks to the food trucks Street Donuts and Vet Chef for providing sustenance to our runners!

Stay tuned for details about the 2018 Pack the Park fun run!

For more information or to donate, email. Information about the Weekend Backpack Program in Shoreline is here

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