Dr Oz: Blessings In A Backpack Program To Keep Kids From Going Hungry

Dr Oz: Program To Keep Kids From Going Hungry

Dr. Oz said he thinks teachers are amazing and said they are often the first line of defense in keeping our children safe and healthy. There are a ton of great teachers out there that go the extra mile every day, but there was one teacher Dr. Oz wanted his viewers to hear about.

The teacher, whose name is Nicole, recalled that a little boy in her class told her he was hungry and explained to her that he hadn’t had any food since the previous Friday at school. They were living in his mom’s car and he had very limited food, and that haunted her. She did a little research and found the program Blessings in a Backpack where the kids can take home a backpack full of food that provides them meals for both days of the weekend. She said kids come from good families with good parents, but some of them have just hit a rough patch and can’t provide for their kids right now.

Nicole spoke to her principal, who told her if she could fund it then she could get it rolling. She told him she would find a way to get the money for the program and she did. She and her husband donated money to get the program started, and they both go shopping every week to get healthy food for the kids. They get apples, granola bars, oatmeal, and applesauce. The food goes into backpacks which are left in the classrooms on Fridays for the kids to take home; that way, they have their food for the weekend.

Dr Oz: Blessings In A Backpack Program

She and her husband were funding the program on their own for the first few months until an outpouring of support occurred and they started to get a lot of donations. They’re now able to feed about 100 children a week. She said she’s just hoping she can make a difference in her classroom and her community for the kids.

Nicole sat down with Dr. Oz and said it truly broke her heart to hear that kid tell her he was hungry. She said the parents can’t control that they don’t have food and that it was very eye-opening. She said the little boy who inspired her to start the program came to her one morning after he and his mom were evicted from their apartment and said, “I’m just scared I’m not going to get to see that yellow bus every morning anymore, because that means I get food.”

Nicole was brought to tears thinking about that little boy. She said she had lived in that community her whole life and never knew they had pockets of kids who were going hungry. She said the backpacks let them feel like they’ve got control over something and can know they have something to sustain them.

Dr Oz: Teacher Helps Kids In Need

Nicole said she wants the parents of the kids to know that none of them judge them. She said as a teacher and as a mom, she knows they’re all doing their best. She said as a mom, she can’t imagine her own kids being hungry, and she doesn’t want that for the kids in her class. Dr. Oz said he doesn’t think anyone should ever be ashamed of poverty, because it happens.

He said Nicole is a shining example of how one person can be a ripple through a community, and she exemplifies everything we can be. He then shared that there are 15 million kids in this country who are struggling to find their next meal. You can visit Blessings in a Backpack to learn more or contribute to the cause.

Dr Oz: Mother & Daughter Lose 100 Pounds Each

Before the end of the show, Dr. Oz shared a picture that a young woman named Crystal sent of her and her mom. Crystal shared that she and her mom were posing with jeans of her mom’s former size. Her mom lost 102 pounds and she said it was all about teamwork and she and her daughter held each other accountable. Crystal lost over 100 pounds herself!