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Aly Barnes talk about Big Blue Backpacks
DECATUR – For six years, Big Blue Backpacks have provided students at Dennis School, and recently, American Dreamer STEM Academy, with seven meals and snacks to get them through the weekends.
When the program began, said Mary Garrison, a professor of social work at Millikin University who has been the group's adviser for eight years, the goal was to provide 80 kids with bags of food. It took a year of planning and logistics work to begin distributing the food six years ago and now, as they embark on their seventh year, they've doubled that number.
Garrison is handing the reins off this year to Millikin chaplain Marty Brilley.
“Today is a little bittersweet for me,” she said during the news conference announcing this year's kickoff. “But it's also very exciting to see where this is going to go.”
The effort is student-run, she said, with the adviser “signing credit card bills” while the students do everything else.
The way it works, the Big Blue Backpack students contact the schools, who provide them with the number of students who might need the food to avoid being hungry when they're not at school, and the students get food from Good Samaritan Inn and Aldi, packing up individual bags. Each building distributes the bags to students, who put them into their backpacks and take them home on Fridays, without fanfare, so other students don't know who is receiving food.
The food is easy to prepare and each child is also issued a can opener in case they don't have one at home.
All this costs money, however, said Millikin student Aly Barnes. They need $10,000 to get through the school year. Donations can be made to the Decatur Public Schools Foundation, 101 W. Cerro Gordo St., Decatur, IL 62523, with “Big Blue Backpacks” written in the memo line of the check, or sent to Chaplain Marty Brilley at Millikin University, with the same memo line. A donation of $80 will feed one child for a year, but any donations are helpful and keep the program afloat.
Millikin Student Aly Barnes speaks Friday at an announcement for Big Blue Backpacks.
“Many of our students have food insecurity,” said Rachel Dick, school counselor at Dennis.
As of this year, the pandemic-era program that provided free breakfasts and lunches to all students has ended, so that families in need have to apply and prove eligibility for free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch, she said.
Garrison may be stepping back, but she intends to keep rooting for the program's success, she said.
Big Blue Backpacks, a Millikin University student organization aimed at addressing food insecurity in Decatur, celebrates its seventh year during an announcement at Dennis Lab School.
“I hope to see it continue growing and growing,” she said.
Mary Garrison speaks about the annual homeless count in Macon County on Thursday at Blessingdale's Thrift Shop.
Professor Mary Garrison talks about the different activities that will take place on Friday night at Millikin University, where students spent the night sleeping outside.
Millikin social work professor Mary Garrison talks with her class on poverty on Wednesday about their assignments in simulating living in poverty at Millikin University. Professor Garrison's students lived on food stamps for a full day in an extra credit opportunity for the class.
Professor Mary Garrison, left, participated in the food stamps extra credit opportunity alongside her students for 72 hours rather than a single day to have perspective along with her students in the assignment. This is Professor Garrison's second year giving the assignment to her students.
Mary Garrison, Millikin professor of social work, speaks at the Big Blue Backpacks press conference Friday at the Good Samaritan Inn as, from left, Joycelyn Venantwerp, Keith Creighton and Abby Steele look on.
Marry Garrison, a professor of social work at Millikin University, is providing help to Decatur Public Library patrons as the library's new social worker.
"My job is to connect (people) through resources," said Mary Garrison, the library's social worker.
Millikin University Professor Mary Garrison speaks at the start of the “On The Table” event for Mental Health Awareness Month at the Decatur Public Library on Tuesday morning.
From left, Millikin University assistant professor of information systems RJ Podeschi, Homeward Bound program director Darsonya Switzer, Millikin professor of social work Mary Garrison and Millikin students Ashley Woods, Morgan Huffman, Justin DeBo and Jack Morgan begin their panel discussion during the Macon County Continuum of Care 2018 Community Breakfast at the Salvation Army Thursday morning.
Marie Bragg enjoys the warm water on her hands while getting a manicure from Millikin social work professor Mary Garrison at the Oasis Day Center.
PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Millikin social work professor Mary Garrison, front left, rubs lotion on the hands of Clifford Dozier while giving him a manicure as psychology student Lesa McMahon provides a manicure for Robert Nelson at the Oasis Day Center Monday.
Mary Garrison speaks about the annual homeless count in Macon County on Thursday at Blessingdale's Thrift Shop.
Professor Mary Garrison talks about the different activities that will take place on Friday night at Millikin University, where students spent the night sleeping outside.
Millikin social work professor Mary Garrison talks with her class on poverty on Wednesday about their assignments in simulating living in poverty at Millikin University. Professor Garrison's students lived on food stamps for a full day in an extra credit opportunity for the class.
Professor Mary Garrison, left, participated in the food stamps extra credit opportunity alongside her students for 72 hours rather than a single day to have perspective along with her students in the assignment. This is Professor Garrison's second year giving the assignment to her students.
Mary Garrison, Millikin professor of social work, speaks at the Big Blue Backpacks press conference Friday at the Good Samaritan Inn as, from left, Joycelyn Venantwerp, Keith Creighton and Abby Steele look on.
Marry Garrison, a professor of social work at Millikin University, is providing help to Decatur Public Library patrons as the library's new social worker.
"My job is to connect (people) through resources," said Mary Garrison, the library's social worker.
Millikin University Professor Mary Garrison speaks at the start of the “On The Table” event for Mental Health Awareness Month at the Decatur Public Library on Tuesday morning.
From left, Millikin University assistant professor of information systems RJ Podeschi, Homeward Bound program director Darsonya Switzer, Millikin professor of social work Mary Garrison and Millikin students Ashley Woods, Morgan Huffman, Justin DeBo and Jack Morgan begin their panel discussion during the Macon County Continuum of Care 2018 Community Breakfast at the Salvation Army Thursday morning.
Marie Bragg enjoys the warm water on her hands while getting a manicure from Millikin social work professor Mary Garrison at the Oasis Day Center.
PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Millikin social work professor Mary Garrison, front left, rubs lotion on the hands of Clifford Dozier while giving him a manicure as psychology student Lesa McMahon provides a manicure for Robert Nelson at the Oasis Day Center Monday.
Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter
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Big Blue Backpacks, a Millikin student organization aimed at addressing food insecurity in Decatur, is celebrating their sixth year by expanding their efforts and providing 80 students at the American Dreamer STEM Academy with food each weekend during the academic year.
“If we can get funding for the projects that we have and any new projects, that is our path to ending homelessness,” said consultant Mary Garrison, a professor of social work at Millikin University.
Decatur students are struggling with their workload and isolation from friends during the pandemic, and have asked the Decatur school board for help.
The before and after school extended day program at Decatur Public Schools provides snacks, homework help, physical activities and enrichment for students at no cost to families.
Rep. Rodney Davis visited Millikin University on Wednesday to present a $2 million Community Project Funding grant to the university for its planned nursing simulation lab.
Big Blue Backpacks, a Millikin University student organization aimed at addressing food insecurity in Decatur, celebrates its seventh year during an announcement at Dennis Lab School.
Millikin Student Aly Barnes speaks Friday at an announcement for Big Blue Backpacks.
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