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Leadership Rutherford's 2023-24 class is inching toward its goal to raise $50,000 in order to purchase a box truck for the Rutherford County Schools (RCS) Backpack Program. It's not too late to donate to help reach this goal and to help the children in Rutherford County.
The class graduates on May 9 and the goal is to have the money raised for the box truck by graduation day.
"Currently, $31,000 has been raised toward the project," said Leadership Rutherford President Lisa Bralley, also the coordinator of the RCS Backpack Program. "We are very hopeful that all funds will be secured by May 9."
The class is awaiting word from a couple of grants that bring the purchase of the box truck closer to reality.
There are sponsorship levels that can be found on the Leadership Rutherford Facebook page. Sponsors can have their name on the box truck.
The box truck is a 18-foot diesel truck with a lift gate that will enable volunteers and staff from the Backpack Program to logistically transport more food from Charlotte to Forest City for distribution not only during the school days but in the summer.
Right now a truck from the school system is used, but the truck is not always available when it is needed.
Every two or three weeks staff or volunteers travel to Charlotte to pick up the food. With the larger truck, additional pallets of food can be transported at one time. With the smaller truck, there is not enough room for the food needed.
Sam Seigler, owner/operator of Forest City's Chick-fil-A and a member of the Rutherford Leadership '24 class, is also optimistic about reaching the $50,000 goal and being able to expand the food program.
With the box truck, Seigler said it's possible to accommodate two or three more pallets of food and could also possibility help the charter schools, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy and Lake Lure Classical Academy, with food needs for students.
"Really, what we want is to make sure, regardless of schools, that every kid in the county is given food they need," Seigler said.
How the dream of a box truck started
No one was more surprised than Bralley that the Class wanted to help with purchase of a box truck to help transport the food.
Seigler explained the class spends time with community leaders and nonprofits to decide on an annual project.
"Sam and a couple of others asked me afterward 'what could our program use'. I said a box truck and chuckled, knowing the price of those. I shared with them how we could use it to expand the program and here we are," Bralley said.
"It was super pivotal. Lisa (Bralley) brought in some backpacks to show how great the need is...and the Rutherford County Schools Foundation was looking for more people to help and this fit our desire for something that is sustainable that will help to grow into different things they can do," Seiger continued.
Having a box truck for transporting food has always been Bralley's goal as the program director.
"And thanks to the amazing effort of the '23-24 Leadership Rutherford class, it looks to be a reality," she said.
Rutherford County is ranked 7th in North Carolina for food insecurity.
"This box truck will positively benefit our students and the county as a whole. Anything helps towards our cause," she said.
Each week 815 students in Rutherford County (sometimes as many as 1,000 students) are given a backpack of food on Friday so they will have food when they are away from school for the weekend. Food includes pop-up cans of meats, fruits, snack foods and more. Many children wouldn't have weekend food without the backpacks.
Churches, businesses and individuals help to purchase the food.
"A dedicated box truck for the Backpack Program would allow us to transport more food for other county programs and ultimately give us the opportunity to expand the food programs to summer stops throughout the community," Bralley said.
Seiger agreed.
"I don't believe many are getting food for the summer. This will open the gates for more summer food for children," he said.
"I think our whole class got a full sense of what that (hungry children) looks like and how important it is to keep our kids fed," Seigler said.
With just a couple of weeks until the class ends, Seiger reminds people, "We are open to partnerships, open to any fundraisers, anyone who is willing to do this on our behalf, contact the Facebook Page or me," Seiger added.
Email him at samseigler@cfaforestcity.com or visit Leadership Rutherford's Facebook page for more information and to donate toward the box truck.
Leadership Rutherford is part of a national program to identify and prepare current and future community leaders.
