As students across Vigo County prepare for a new school year, families are checking off back-to-school shopping lists—backpacks, notebooks, pencils and new shoes. While those supplies help students walk through the school doors prepared, many children are also counting on something just as essential: consistent access to nutritious food.
The Vigo County School Corporation (VCSC) Coordinated Health Program, a Union Health initiative in partnership with VCSC, is asking the community to help ensure students experiencing food insecurity have enough to eat over the weekends through the Weekend Meal Program.
In Vigo County, nearly one in four children experience food insecurity. Within VCSC, more than 60% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and at some schools that number approaches 90%. While school breakfasts and lunches provide vital nutrition during the week, many students return home on Fridays uncertainty about where their next meal will come from.
The Weekend Meal Program bridges that gap by providing discreet, shelf-stable meal packs that students take home each Friday. Each pack contains balanced meals and nutritious snacks that help children return to school on Monday healthy, energized and ready to learn.
In just the final three months of the 2025–2026 school year, the Weekend Meal Program distributed more than 7,000 weekend meals to students across Vigo County. The tremendous response highlights both the need for the program and the meaningful impact it is already having on children and families throughout the community.
"Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed in the classroom, and that begins with having enough to eat," said Chelsea Dickerson, Nutrition Navigator with the VCSC Coordinated Health Program. "When children don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, they are better able to focus, participate and reach their full potential."
The program currently serves students throughout the district who have been identified as experiencing food insecurity. School staff work directly with families to ensure the meals reach children who need them most, providing support with dignity and compassion.
While generous community partners helped launch the program, ongoing support from individuals, businesses and organizations is essential to keeping weekend meal packs available throughout the school year.
"Supporting the Weekend Meal Program is vital to ensuring that our students in Vigo County stay nourished and ready to learn. When children have reliable access to meals, they can focus in the classroom, excel academically and build a stronger future,” said Becky Miller, President of Union Health Foundation. "Our community's generosity can make a real difference in the lives of these students and the success of our schools."
Community members can make an immediate impact through a one-time or recurring gift.
- $200 provides one student with weekend meals for an entire school year.
- $500 provides a month's worth of weekend meal packs for an entire classroom.
- $50 per month provides 10 weekend meal packs every month, helping sustain the program year-round.
- Gifts of any amount help provide nutritious meals and hope to local students.
Recurring monthly gifts are especially valuable because they provide reliable funding that allows the Weekend Meal Program to consistently serve children throughout the school year.
To make a donation, scan the campaign QR code or visit the Weekend Meal Program Giving Page. Every gift helps ensure a child returns to school each Monday nourished, focused and ready to succeed.
For more information or to support the Weekend Meal Program, contact Union Health Foundation at 812-238-7534 or foundation@union.health.
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About the VCSC Coordinated Health Program
The Vigo County School Corporation Coordinated Health Program is a Union Health initiative that partners with VCSC to address health and wellness barriers impacting student success, including nutrition, access to care and mental health support.
About Vigo County School Corporation
The Vigo County School Corporation is a county-wide public school corporation, serving nearly 13,000 students in Terre Haute, Ind. and the greater Vigo County area. VCSC offers traditional elementary, middle and high schools, along with diverse learning opportunities, including robust Career and Technical pathways, early childhood education, virtual classes and more. At VCSC our goal is to develop lifelong learners and create community.
About Union Health Foundation
Union Health Foundation serves as a catalyst for improving community health through philanthropic leadership. By inspiring giving and building strong partnerships, the Foundation supports Union Health and addresses the evolving health needs of the Wabash Valley.