By SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post

Local coaches will be taking a break from sports to bus tables for tips Wednesday night.

The Backpack Buddies Coaches Challenge is a fundraiser for Second Harvest Community Food Bank’s Backpack Buddies program.

According to Second Harvest, each child enrolled in the supplemental weekend feeding program, receives a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack each weekend during the school year.

St. Joseph area high school and Missouri Western coaches will bus tables and collect donations at five participating McDonald’s locations for the fundraiser.

Missouri Western State University Head Football Coach Matt Williamson says he was a part of the Coaches Challenge last year.

“It’s very rewarding when you do that for the community… but it’s really great for those kids because they need that,” Williamson said. “You want to make sure a kid has a chance to have success and if you give them a good head start, like we do with the Backpack Buddy program, it just starts off the school year right and gives the kids confidence and encouragement to make sure they finish strong.”

Williamson said there are usually volunteers inside and outside with donation buckets. 

Coaches will be collecting donations from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the following McDonald’s locations:

Midtown- Central

North Belt- Lafayette

Lake Contrary- Benton

South Belt- Leblond

Truck Stop- Missouri Western

 

For more information, visit the Second Harvest Community Food Bank’s Facebook page.