Supported solely by generous gifts from individuals, groups, and businesses, the Foundation annually funds and awards grants that show promise of enriching the educational opportunities throughout the Monona Grove School District. Teachers and support staff within the Monona Grove School District are eligible for all current grants listed below.

Interested in applying, or have questions? Review the MGEF Grants Policy. Have additional questions? Please email us.

Learn about Grants and Apply

WEEKEND SNACK PACK PROGRAM

As a committee within the Monona Grove Education Foundation, the Monona Grove Weekend Snack Pack Program strives to support Monona Grove School District's youth who may be experiencing food insecurity. The program provides school-aged children access to healthy food options on weekends during the school year. The primary goal is to eliminate hunger outside of school that may be caused by a family’s hardship.  This program is supported by community donations, fundraisers, and grants. 

At the beginning of the school year, the school counselors at each of the schools within the Monona Grove School District collaborate and identify up to 150 students that will receive the Snack Packs. Every week, volunteers shop for the food, pack the Snack Packs at a local site where the food is stored and deliver the designated number of Snack Packs to each school where they are discreetly delivered to each child by the School Counselors.  The Monona Grove Education Foundation and volunteers do not have access to the participant names or addresses to maintain confidentiality.

Each Snack Pack includes nutritious and wholesome food items for the child to have to eat throughout the weekend. Included in each small disposable bag are two breakfast options, two lunch options, two snack options, a piece of fruit, and a vegetable. Examples of items that are in a typical Snack Pack are individual cereal boxes, packs of instant oatmeal, macaroni and cheese packs, soup, granola bars, pretzels, Goldfish crackers, applesauce, Veggie Straws, and mixed fruit cups. These foods are selected for nutrition, as well as the ability for young children to open and prepare if an adult is not present.

Our hope is that by providing easily accessible and nutritious food to these children, we will help ease their food insecurity and support their physical, mental, and academic health. With a common goal of eliminating childhood food insecurity, this program supplements services available to families in the Monona Grove School District that also targets this issue. Food pantries have limited hours, which makes it difficult for parents to use that as a consistent and reliable food resource. The schools host programs throughout the school year to help families in need with items such as Christmas presents and Thanksgiving meals; however, it is not on a consistent weekly basis. Our Snack Pack project gives children experiencing food insecurity direct access to food when not being provided by the school district’s free and reduced breakfast and lunch program.