For students, having enough to eat can make a meaningful difference in their ability to learn, focus and participate in the classroom. Yet even in a community like Ballantyne, food insecurity affects local children and families.

That’s why Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors in Need (BFHNIN) marked Hunger Action Month with our first semester snack drive, bringing our community together to help ensure local students have access to food when they need it most.

And once again, our neighbors responded with incredible generosity.

During the September 14–18, 2026 drive, 8,460 individual snacks were donated through our Amazon Wish List to help stock school counselors’ offices throughout the Ballantyne area. Even more snacks were donated directly to participating schools, adding significantly to the impact of the drive.

Why Snacks Matter

Approximately one in five students in the Ballantyne area qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals. For some students, breakfast or lunch at school may be their most reliable meal of the day. A student may arrive at school hungry, need something to eat between meals or face a long stretch before food is available at home.

Something as simple as a granola bar, crackers or another filling snack can make a difference.
BFHNIN works closely with school counselors who know their students and understand their individual needs. By placing snacks directly in counselors’ offices, schools can discreetly provide food to students who need it, helping remove barriers and preserve their dignity.

Hunger Exists in Every Community

Hunger and financial hardship aren’t always easy to see – particularly in a community often perceived as affluent. But families throughout the Ballantyne area can experience job loss, rising housing and grocery costs, unexpected medical expenses and other circumstances that make it difficult to meet basic needs.

Hunger Action Month, observed nationally each September, is an opportunity to raise awareness about food insecurity and inspire people to take action in their own communities. Our Snack Drive demonstrates just how much can happen when a community recognizes a need and responds together.

Helping Our Neighbors Year-Round

The September Snack Drive is just one part of BFHNIN’s year-round mission to support local families experiencing food insecurity and financial hardship.

Through our Food & Hygiene Pantry, seasonal giving initiatives, and Meal Kit and Birthday Blessings programs, we provide practical assistance to our neighbors while treating every family we serve with dignity, compassion and love.

Since BFHNIN was founded, our community has helped us reach more than 19,000 people and provide more than $750,000 in assistance to our neighbors.

To everyone who purchased snacks, delivered donations, shared our Wish List or helped spread the word: thank you.

Together, we are nourishing our neighbors and helping ensure local students have the support they need to learn and thrive.