DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. (Feb. 25, 2022) -- United Way of Greater Cincinnati is working to change systems so fewer people need relief in the future. Concurrently, UWGC continues to address the immediate needs of people in our region -- such as school children who don’t have enough to eat on weekends. 

In January, UWGC’s Southeast Indiana office granted nearly $9,000 to the Sacks of Snacks program. On Fridays, it provides healthy, high-protein food that about 400 elementary school children in Dearborn County can take home.

Sacks of Snacks was created in 2014 through a partnership with Aurora Elementary School and the Dearborn County Clearinghouse, a United Way partner agency that operates food pantries. According to Clearinghouse’s website, Sacks of Snacks now serves nine Dearborn County schools.

The funding from UWGC Southeast Indiana was made possible by a COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative (ERI) grant from Lilly Endowment in partnership with Indiana United Ways, a state professional association.

Since the pandemic began, UWGC Southeast Indiana has received more than $416,000 in COVID-19 ERI funds. The grant to Sacks of Snacks completes the disbursement of those funds, which have been distributed the past two years to Southeast Indiana nonprofits to support early childhood education; student mental health and social-emotional well-being; and basic needs of parents and families.