It was a brief meeting over coffee at the Starbucks – Wooded Acres, when Jane Bounds and Cliff Reece found themselves discussing the silent hunger struggle-taking place in Waco, TX.
Reece, Director of Child Nutrition Services for Sodexo, witnessed the need first hand in public school cafeterias. He and Bounds discussed the statistic that one in four children in Texas under the age of five is “Food Insecure” – which is defined as not knowing where his or her next meal will come from. Bounds states, “I was heart broken.” There the two were warm, cozy and sharing a cup of coffee realizing they must do something to serve these children who could not help themselves over the weekends.
The duo started forming a plan right then and there. A napkin held an outline. Who could they get involved and how? Ever mindful, that children left school on Friday and may not eat again until Monday morning, the two held informal meetings at their “Satellite Office” aka Starbucks – Wooded Acres.
The result: Although still in its infancy, Pack of Hope formed. Pack of Hope sent out the first runs of backpacks on September 9, 2011.
Cliff Reece, board member and Director of Child Nutrition Services for Waco, stated, “Our mission is simple. We work with nine school districts within McLennan County and distribute weekend backpacks to the students in the most need.”