Amanda Leonard, wife of Justin Leonard, playing with the PGA TOUR Champions, and their four children have partnered with the eighth-grade class at The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Florida, to feed children at Jupiter Elementary through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County afterschool program. Their support will provide healthy weekend food through the Blessings in a Backpack program for 160 children for the remainder of the 2023–2024 school year, resulting in over 3,200 hunger-free weekends.
Millions of students nationwide get food during the school week through federal meal programs. However, many struggle with food insecurity on the weekends — or limited access to enough food to support a healthy life. Blessings bridges the gap in child nutrition over the weekend by providing ready-to-eat food for school-aged children across America who might otherwise go hungry.
The Leonard family has worked closely with Blessings for over 10 years in several states, supplying food each weekend for many children over the school year. The family initially became involved with the national nonprofit through the PGA TOUR Wives Association and began their support in the city of Dallas. Moves have taken them from Texas to Colorado to Florida, but the family’s commitment has been a mainstay.
In the North Palm Beach County, the family’s support will come through volunteer engagement and service. Each week, the Leonard family and The Benjamin School students will come together to pack and deliver weekend food to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County at Jupiter Elementary. They’ll also plan fundraising and awareness campaigns to continue and grow the program into the 2024-2025 school year.
“It is very unsettling to know that 9 million children in the United States experience food insecurity on the weekends and our family is committed to reduce this number,” said Amanda Leonard, community champion and wife of PGA TOUR golfer.
“Food insecurity on the weekends is a serious issue for a staggering amount of kids in Palm Beach County,” said Erin Nicoloso, VP of marketing and business development, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. “Because of the generosity of the Leonard family and Blessings in a Backpack, our organization will be able to feed many of these children so they can focus on learning and having fun. It is so inspiring to see these impressive students from The Benjamin School dedicate themselves to packing and handing out these life-changing backpacks.” “Kids can’t be kids when they’re hungry. The consequences of childhood hunger are much more than
Click the button below to donate to the Leonard’s Blessings in a Backpack program at the Boys & Girls Club at Jupiter Elementary. As little as $175 will feed a child every weekend of one school year.
