Volunteers attack child hunger to improve learning

BRADENTON (FOX 13) - From cookies to peanut butter and jelly, volunteers work to bag up a grocery list-full of food for homeless students in Manatee County. 

"We are dealing with children that are sharing housing situations, living in hotels motels, trailer parks, living out of their vehicles," said Kim Bailey. 

Volunteers with Feeding Empty Little Tummies (F.E.L.T) meet each Friday. They assemble and deliver bags full of food to schools.  Each bag provides students with six meals, plus snacks, to help them get through the weekend. 

On Friday, they fed 547 students. 

"In the last two years we've seen the numbers grow," said Bailey. 

Executive Director Kim Bailey said 1,900 students from elementary to high school are registered as homeless. Many have parents battling opioid addictions. 

"We know due to law enforcement statistics, statistics from the schools... We can tell by the number of increases in the calls, the number of children removed from the homes," said Bailey. 

The heroin and opioid epidemics have ripped through Manatee County, claiming lives and putting the most vulnerable in the crossfire. 

"It's heartbreaking when all you want to do is feed hungry children it's heartbreaking when you hear that parents were taking the food back to stores to get money for it," said Bailey. 

Some of the food is brought in through community food drives. The rest is purchased through grants.

The goal is to make sure key nutritional values are met when kids aren't in school.

"The goal is to give them a good nutritional value and make sure they have enough calories to carry them through every day," said Bill Kennan. 

A good meal is key to a students' success, no matter what situation they face daily. 

"If you go 63 hours without nutrition you are not bright and prepared for a day of learning at school," said Bailey. 

For more information visit feltinc.org.