A Villager who is a longtime volunteer at Wildwood Elementary School has launched an effort to help feed needy Sumter County students who are stuck at home because of the Coronavirus outbreak.
“These kids have been food impaired before this,” Village of Gilchrist resident Faye Scher wrote on a GoFundMe page attempting to raise $150,000. “Now parents can’t work and students need more nutrition.”
Scher said there’s an urgent need for the local community to set up grab-and-go meals for the students, even if it’s just milk and cereal.
“Food vouchers should be coming from the Federal Recovery Bill, but when will that be?” she asks.
Scher promised to use the donations to purchase food in bulk and work with area restaurants and food banks to use their connections to make the money go as far as possible.
“If you can help, please donate any amount,” Scher said. “I see these kids come to school hungry,” she added, pointing out that Wildwood Elementary is at a 92 percent poverty rate.
Those wishing to make donations can visit the GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/feedsumtercountykids. As of late Sunday afternoon, $4,435 had been pledged by 52 different donors. Checks also can be sent to Scher at 3051 Bureau Path, The Villages FL 32163.
Scher has been involved with many efforts in the past to help children at the Title 1 School. She’s raised money for school supply drives and coats at Christmas. She also was instrumental in raising money and needed items for student Abby Lacayo, who suffered from Hereditary Chronic Pancreatitis and gastroparesis and was able to return to school last August after undergoing a complicated-but-successful surgery in December at the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.