Due to the COVID-19 crisis, schools and many other businesses have shut down, and the state has issued a state-wide Stay-at-Home / Shelter-in-Place order. And along with the school closures,  meal service for school aged children in the Bigfork area has also been affected. Why is this important? In the Bigfork area, there are about 650 school-aged children (Kindergarten to Grade 7) and approximately 40% of these children rely on the School Free &amp; Reduced lunch program for breakfast, lunch and snacks. In addition, Bigfork ACES After School free and reduced program serves approximately 32% of these children, serving over 250 dinners and 200 snacks weekly. The school meal program has been reduced to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, delivering breakfast or lunch along the bus route. ACES has committed continuing to serve dinners as usual throughout school closures. Supporting our staff, families and community is our first priority. In order to do this, we need your help. We are looking to raise a total of $5000 (or more) so that we can continue to feed hungry children and families here in Bigfork. We have received a generous offer to match all donations (up to a total of $2500) from local real estate agent, Jennifer Shelley, PureWest Real Estate. If you are in need of meal assistance during this time, we will be providing meals at the ACES main location (801 Grand Drive, Bigfork) from 4:30 to 5:00 pm for all kids ages 5-18 and their families. These meals will be "Grab and Go” only. You may take what you need for your family and neighbors. What is Bigfork ACES? Bigfork ACES after school and summer programs has been serving the Bigfork Community for the past eight years. We offer after school and summer care to all children in the Bigfork community regardless of their ability to pay. Our program is important to working and struggling families who rely on ACES to help with homework, obtain healthy meals, and provide a safe and nurturing environment in which their children feel safe and well cared for. ACES is a non-profit organization. Last year, the grants that ACES had been receiving were eliminated, so this operation is now entirely donation driven. A state evaluation determined that 90% of teachers say that ACES is an integral component of school success. 100% of parents agree that ACES has benefitted their child and are satisfied with the quality of activities and care their child receives. In 2019, we served 189 individual children in Bigfork—32% of the Kindergarten through 8th grade population. 60% of these children qualified as low income and receive TANF and/or free and reduced lunches at school. ACES served over 11,000 breakfasts, lunches and dinners through the Child, Adult, Care Food Program. Thank you for any support you can give us to continue what we do so well – take care of kids! ACES employees 12 people yearly and has over 20 high school and community volunteers. For more information on the services we provide, please visit <a href="http://www.acesafterschool.com/"><a href="http://www.acesafterschool.com/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.acesafterschool.com/</a> </a> <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/47061790_1585615495421704_r.jpeg" alt="47061790_1585615495421704_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />

Margie McDonald

Cathy Evans

Mark Gilman

Jim & Marty Williams

Anonymous

Derek R Olson

Michael & Susan  Stronberg

Maryann Steinle

Judy Brassaw

Steven Lalley

STEVE ROBINSON

Mary Ann Meyers

Kathleen Harrington

HELPING HUNGRY CHILDREN DURING COVID-19 CRISIS

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