Dr. Edward E. White Jr., owner of White Family Dental, recently donated $16,913 to the Elizabethtown Area Education Foundation for the Bear Bags program, which provides supplemental food to students and families in need within the Elizabethtown Area School District (EASD). Since 2017, White has contributed a total of approximately $54,886 to the program.

The Bear Bags program began in 2013 as a partnership between EASD social worker Jennifer Fields and two community members. Initial start-up fees were donated by local churches. An agreement was secured with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank to purchase food at a discounted price.

Since that time, the Bear Bags program has continued to grow, and it is fully funded by donations from local community members, youth groups, student organizations and churches. Thanks to a grant from Capital Blue Cross in 2018, the Bear Bags program was able to purchase a refrigerator and freezer, allowing families to receive fresh eggs, milk and frozen meats and vegetables.

On a weekly basis, backpacks are sent home with participating students districtwide to provide nutritious items when school meals are not available. In addition, families are invited to attend a monthly shopping event to obtain larger quantities of food. During summer months, families are invited to select items from the storage room.

The program is run by volunteers. Each week, Three Mile Island security staff members help to unload the food deliveries. Students from the Elizabethtown Area High School Life Skills classroom, led by Rebecca Booth, pack and deliver the bags to each school when in session.

White has supported the program through the purchase of backpacks, the proceeds from a White-Out Against Hunger fundraising event in August 2019 and funds from the Smiles for Life campaign. White Family Dental offers whitening year-round, with 100% of proceeds supporting children in need through the Bear Bags and Smiles for Life programs.

Prior to the pandemic, approximately 125 students benefited from Bear Bags on a weekly basis. COVID-19 restrictions and a move from the school district to Community Place on Washington put a hold on program operations, which resumed in early 2023. The new location allows for collaboration with other agencies on the campus to ensure that more needs are met.

The program is in need of volunteers to help with deliveries, organize the room, clean and prepare for events. Monetary donations can be made directly to the Elizabethtown Area Education Foundation with a designation noted for the Bear Bags program. The program also accepts gift cards to local grocery stores, used to purchase essential items not available through the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Donations of food, household or personal care items are welcome.

Anyone interested in donating time or funds may contact Fields at 717-367-1533, ext. 21108. Families in need of program services may also contact Fields for registration information.