Amidst continually rising food insecurity, the Bozeman Schools Foundation has started its annual fundraising drive to support buying meals for students.

The money raised through the foundation’s Pack the Sack program will go to the Human Resource Development Council’s Healthy KidsPack Program, which seeks to raise awareness of food insecurity and send students home with food on weekends.

HRDC is delivering an average of 725 meals each week right now, around half of which go to Bozeman Public Schools students, according to the release.

Last year, the program was averaging about 450 packs each week, HRDC’s Child Nutrition Programs Coordinator Olivia Smart said.

In December, the meal debt was over $20,000 for the fall semester alone. In June, it cost about $35,000 to clear out the debt from the spring semester. The foundation was able to clear both semesters’ debts using donations.

Brittany Selvig, director of food services at the district, said this semester’s lunch debt has reached $8,900, as of Feb. 7.

Bozeman Chronicle: Bozeman schools, HRDC work together against rising food insecurity