An outpouring of community support through Riverstone Bank’s Pack the Pack fundraiser has helped the Cooperative Ministries weekend food backpack program move much closer to securing full funding.
During a presentation in Gering Thursday, Bank CEO Mike Downey, Executive VP and COO Rick Tuggle, and Nebraska Market Director Doug Couse flanked program Procurement volunteer Deb Schild, and Cat Pack coordinator and teacher Tracy Steel, as it was unveiled that the 30-day fundraising effort raised $25,000 for the program, including a match of about $5,000 from the bank.
Steele said the organization is very grateful for the amazing level of support that’s just overwhelming. “We cannot do this program without this community. Everything that we bring in is generous donations from the community, and they keep this program going,” said Steele. “So, this provides us almost two months, or more, of food for our program next year, and that is beyond belief for us.”
More than $9,000 of the total was donated through the “Change for a Greater Change” drive by elementary students in Gering Public Schools, and an anonymous donor added $10,000 more through the Oregon Trail Community Foundation, bringing the total to $35,000.
Becca Pierce said Riverstone Bank officials were extremely pleased to be a part of the effort to ensure kids don’t go hungry on weekends.
Steele says with the additional funds, the program has reached about 75 percent of the projected cost of providing the PupPack and CatPack food backpacks for the school year starting next August.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story misidentified Deb Schild. KNEB News regrets the error.
