welcome message
Who We Are
Welcome to Feeding Empty Little Tummies, dedicated to feeding Manatee County’s most needy – homeless and food insecure students – one backpack at a time!
An Elementary school is a place where the first social and community life of a child starts. It becomes a second home for boys and girls, all of whom are naturally curious about the world around them, as well as excited about learning. Unfortunately, there’s approximately 3,500 homeless in Manatee County, and many of these are children.
In 2010 Jane L Evers introduced Feeding Empty Little Tummies to three Manatee County public schools. Today, Jane’s vision to provide nutritious meals to homeless students is still being fulfilled by our dedicated board, volunteers and community leaders who service 32 schools and over 800 homeless and food insecure children.
Each child in the F.E.L.T. backpack program is pre-qualified by Project Heart, the Manatee School District’s Title X Homeless Education Program, providing education related support services for students who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Project Heart comes under the McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act that provides defined qualifications.
These include children and youth sharing housing due to the loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason, living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations, living in emergency or transitional shelters, or living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, as well as children awaiting permanent Foster Care.
Sponsor Benefits
Corporate Sponsorship
Corporate or business sponsorships are an important investment in our community. And, charitable sponsorships benefit both the non-profit and its business sponsors.
Sponsorship can be a strategic way to help build a business’s brand recognition and increase community awareness by doing good.
Sponsoring an event for a charitable organization can be a powerful way to raise brand awareness, create positive press, and build relationships with community leaders and residents.
important milestones
F.E.L.T. Timeline
With a community of over 1500 homeless or food insecure children, the F.E.L.T. Backpack Meals for Children Program grew from 3 schools and 80 children to 72 schools and 1355 children, with almost 1,000,000 million meals served. Our goal with your help, is to end child hunger for all 1500 children in Manatee County.
Feeding Empty Little Tummies Started
Provided Meals to 65 children in 12 Schools
Moved F.E.L.T. to a Commercial Building to Store More Food and Distribute More Backpacks.Rented
Purchased and renovated a New Building to Expand Operations
COMPANIES SUPPORTING THE BACKPACK PROJECT
Our Supporters
