Call us today: 800-634-3359

Child Care & Nutrition, Inc. is proud to offer The Weekend Winners backpack program for students in Lincoln County, Minnesota. The districts include: Hendricks, Ivanhoe, Lake Benton, RTR. Check out the latest article about the Weekend Winners done by Buffalo Ridge Newspapers, LLC. Click Here for Article.

foods in a shelf

Children are our focus…
CCNI has been in the child nutrition business for over 30 years. That is why we want to help make sure children do not meet a “food deficit” on weekends. Since 2017 we have been administering the Weekend Winners backpack program as a community project to children in our area.

For the 2022-23 school year there are approximately 150 children participating. Per data requested from the individual school districts, approximately 80% of the children participating also receive free or reduced meals through the school. This statistic is important as it shows we are clearly reaching the children who need it most.

How does it work?

  • Children enrolled in the program at their school
  • School officials let CCNI know how many meal bags are needed each week
  • CCNI staff and community volunteers bag up two days’ worth of nutritious meals per bag
  • The bags are delivered to the schools prior to the end of the week
  • School officials discreetly place the meal bags into the children’s lockers to take home for the weekend

How can I help?

kid happily pushing the cart of groceries
  • Volunteer
  • Fundraisers
  • Donate
    • $6.00 will feed a child for 1 weekend
    • $230.00 will feed a child for the entire school year
    • Amazon Wishlist (commonly purchased foods)
    • Donations can made online
    •  Via Venmo, simply scan the QR code to make your donation and indicate Weekend Winners in the comments

      • Or, mailed to our office at:
        CCNI
        PO Box 138
        Ivanhoe, MN 56142
bulletin board

Thanks to all of the area business owners as well as the individuals who have donated and continue donate to the Weekend Winners Backpack Program!

Grants and Donations:

$200.00 Monthly Donation – Faith Family Christian Center

$5,000.00 – anonymous personal donation

$1,000.00 – United Way of Southwest Minnesota – Kindness Investment Program

$1,000.00 – Otter Tail Power Company Foundation

$2,000.00 – Operation Roundup Grant – Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative

$2,500.00 – The Blazing Star Community Fund – SWIF

$5,000.00 – The Bayer Fund

**These are just a few of our many donations and grants received in the past year. THANK YOU to everyone who has donated!

Hunger Facts

Keloland News Article:

“Data from Hunger Solutions shows that in 2022, visits to food shelves increased by more than two million from the previous year. The need for food increased across all ages with seniors being the most impacted followed by children seeing large increases.

Lincoln County [MN] saw the highest percent growth of visits to food shelves in 2022 with an increase of 442.2%. Neighboring Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, and Rock Counties also saw an increase in total visits throughout the year.”

Click to read the entire article: https://www.keloland.com/keloland-com-original/minnesota-children-to-receive-free-school-meals/

According to the nonprofit organizations “No Kid Hungry” and “Feeding America”, 12 million children in The United States or, 1 in 6, face hunger deprivation on a regular basis.

That means 225 children in Lincoln County, MN could be facing hunger issues at any time.

By supporting CCNI’s Weekend Winners program, you are helping children in this community fight hunger and are ensuring that they receive meals when school meals are not available.

**The Weekend Winners Backpack Program receives NO ($0) government subsidies.