When the final school bell rings on Friday afternoon, most children are looking forward to the weekend. Others quietly wonder if there will be enough food at home until Monday morning.

Food 4 Families exists to ensure no child in our community has to face that uncertainty alone.

Food 4 Families is a partnership between the Watertown City School District, the City of Watertown, and United Way of Northern New York that provides nutritious weekend food bags for local students.

Each week during the school year, high school student volunteers and community members pack and distribute weekend food bags to students enrolled in the program. What began at Starbuck Elementary during the 2015-2016 school year has grown to serve students in all eight Watertown City School District schools, ensuring hundreds of local children have access to food when school is not in session.

A gift of $20 provides two weekend food bags. A gift of $400 provides nutritious weekend meals for one child throughout the entire school year.

Thank you for investing in the health, well-being, and future of Watertown's children. Your gift becomes a bag of groceries, a sigh of relief for a parent, and a child who returns to school ready to learn.