Miley Cyrus was in Kentucky last week to visit Blessings in a Backpack volunteers.
The star visited Hazard County to visit the organization, which feeds elementary school children whose families qualify for the federal free and reduced meal program, and may not have any or enough food on the weekends. Better test scores, improved reading skills, positive behavior, improved health and increased attendance have all been attributed to the success of this program.
“Hunger doesn’t take weekends off,” said Miley, who was accompanied by her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. "Hazard, in fact all of Appalachia, has always been special to me and to my whole family. It’s where we’re from. So the health and education of these Hazard County kids was important to me, and something I felt I really could help do something about… through the Blessings In A Backpack organization.
’I’m really, really happy with what I’ve seen and heard here today. These kids, and this organization, are really amazing."
$80 feeds a child in the program for an entire school year. Following a donation, a school is chosen and a local grocer partners with the program to provide food for meals in the backpacks. Every Friday, students receive their backpacks with staples that require little to no preparation. They return with their backpacks on Monday ready to learn.
Find out more about Blessings in a Backpack here.
