Blessings in a Backpack, a nonprofit organization that provides food on the weekends for elementary school children across America, is partnering with the Spartan Kids Foundation for a nationwide T-shirt design contest to raise funds for childhood hunger.

In honor of Back to School Month, the national nonprofit is asking children to use their creative skills to design the new Blessings in a Backpack T-shirt. The contest is now underway, and is running through Thursday, Oct. 15.

“We are excited to strengthen our partnership with the Spartan Kids Foundation, which provides experiences to underserved and challenged youth to promote healthy and active lifestyles,” said Nikki Grizzle, the Chief Marketing Officer of Blessings in a Backpack. “Across the country, there have been so many kids needing to be fed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and even though many schools are turning to virtual classrooms, our mission remains the same: to make sure these kids have food to eat.

Enter Now: Download and Print the Entry Form

"With this new contest, we will be able to celebrate the creative talents of kids across the country and ultimately feed more children who are suffering from food insecurity this school year, as each entry helps with donations.”

The Goal: Raise $25,000 for Hungry Children

Blessings in a Backpack is aiming to raise $25,000 during this national fundraiser, with the Spartan Kids Foundation set to donate $20 to Blessings for every contest entry submitted. Blessings in a Backpack currently feeds over 87,000 children in 1,092 schools across 45 states and the District of Columbia.

There are more than 11 million in the United States who are at risk of hunger.

“Our organization is centered around teaching kids how to demonstrate their strength, resiliency, and teamwork, and we know this contest will allow them to showcase those values and support their peers who are suffering from the effects of hunger,” said Al Schreiber, the co-founder of the Spartan Kids Foundation. “We are excited to see how kids across the nation will make a difference in the lives of other kids through this initiative.”

How Your Child Can Enter

To participate in this contest, children ages 12 and under should print out the form on the Blessings in a Backpack website and draw their favorite thing about school. Once the artwork is completed, parents are encouraged to fill out the form, scan it, and submit it on the website before Oct. 15.

What Your Child Could Win

The national Blessings in a Backpack team will select the top 10 finalists and share their designs on the national Facebook page, where social media followers will vote for their favorite design. Voting will run from Oct. 19-23, and the winner will be announced the week of Oct. 26. The winning artist will receive a $50 Amazon gift card, a Blessings in a Backpack prize package — including their designed T-shirt — a free Spartan Kids Race code, and their name will appear under the artwork on all printed shirts.

For 15 years, Blessings in a Backpack has been dedicated to feeding kids on the weekend, and its efforts have not stopped throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Blessings in a Backpack’s partnership with the Spartan Kids Foundation began in May, when the two organizations raised funds for hungry kids suffering from the effects of the pandemic. This partnership led to a national fundraiser, Kids Helping Kids, which empowers families to participate in a virtual race, with proceeds going towards feeding less fortunate children. This new initiative is intended to bring awareness to the many children who are suffering from a lack of nutrition across the nation.

For more information, and to enter the contest, click here.

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