Ann Marie taught in Kansas City\u2019s most impoverished elementary schools for decades, and saw close-up how hunger affected children.
\u201cMy students would arrive sleepy and tell me they were hungry,\u201d says Ann Marie, now retired. \u201cI would send them to the cafeteria, which would interrupt learning time. But they had to eat.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some students were from households that didn\u2019t even have a phone, so Ann Marie made home visits to connect with parents. Seeing their difficult living conditions strengthened Ann Marie\u2019s resolve to make a difference in her community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She got involved in her school\u2019s BackSnack program, a Harvesters initiative that provides a weekly backpack filled with nutritious food for schoolchildren to take home over the weekend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ann Marie knew all too well how hunger can affect students. Hunger impairs a child\u2019s ability to learn, and often results in lower test scores, higher rates of grade repetition and frequent absences due to related illnesses. The consequences can be lifelong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those are just some of the reasons that Ann Marie decided to include Harvesters in her will. She wants to do all she can to ensure students don\u2019t go hungry, even long after she\u2019s gone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her retirement, Ann Marie volunteers frequently with Harvesters, often packing food in the warehouse. And she\u2019s spreading the word about local food insecurity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI want people to know that hunger is in our community,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I want them to know that Harvesters provides nutritious food to people who need it, and it makes a difference. I want to leave a legacy of being a giving person, kind, loyal and generous. Teachers want to help, especially kids.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"