Grace Packs Incorporated

Grace Packs Incorporated is a small 100% volunteer led non-profit in St. Lucie County, founded in October of 2011. Two St. Lucie County school employees felt led to begin the Grace Packs program when they observed students showing the “face of hunger” in various ways. Some visited the nurse’s office on Mondays complaining of stomach aches or headaches. Some students were hoarding or stealing food in the cafeteria, while others freely shared with staff members that they were hungry. What began out of the desire to relieve the hunger needs of a small number of children at one local elementary school, has evolved in to a county wide program serving more than 30 St. Lucie County elementary, middle schools and high schools. Grace Packs mission is to furnish breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items at the end of each school week to students suffering from food insecurity. Teachers, guidance counselors, resource officers and other school personnel work with Grace Packs to identify children who are exhibiting signs of hunger and food insecurity. During the school Grace Packs serves more than 800 students each week. Grace Packs receives no government funding and is solely funded through the generosity of small businesses, service organizations, faith-based organizations and members of the community with a heart for children. Each week, volunteers come together to pick up palates of food purchased from local suppliers, pack food into bags at our pantry location and then make deliveries to each of the schools so that the food can be distributed to children before they leave school on Friday afternoon. In addition to being 100% volunteer led, the pantry where food is stocked and packed is space that has been provided to us rent free ensuring that donations that more than 92% of donations received are directed to fulfilling our mission of feeding children.