– ATV Riders Kick Financial Support into High Gear with Donation to Student Nutrition Programs –

(NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY) – You could say some local ATV riders are driven individuals when it comes to ensuring students do not run on empty in school.

For yet another year, members of the Northumberland District ATV Riders Club have donated funds to Northumberland Food For Thought. This year, the club raised approximately $3,665 to support student nutrition programs in the area. The funds were raised at the club’s annual charity ride in May, which also marked the grand opening of its new clubhouse near Centreton.ATV riders are no strangers to helping local students have the food they need to learn in school, having provided funds for this cause over the past several years. To date, the ATV Riders Club has raised nearly $14,650 to support the work of Northumberland Food for Thought – the non-profit partnership that co-ordinates school nutrition programs in Northumberland County.

“We love our community and want to give back to it,” says Mike Ainsworth, President of the Northumberland ATV Riders Club. “Supporting student learning in Northumberland is something our club members can really get behind, which they have demonstrated the past few years in their fundraising efforts.”

Northumberland Food For Thought helps to coordinate 38 student nutrition programs at local schools. Its programs can vary from a full sit-down breakfast before class to others featuring snack bins delivered to classrooms from which students can choose something to eat. Whatever form it takes, the goal of the nutrition program is to ensure students have enough to eat to learn in school. All programs are free, and open to any student who wants to take part.

“Many local students come to school hungry for a variety of reasons, not just poverty,” says Susan Greenwood, Community Development Coordinator with Northumberland Food For Thought. “Long bus rides, early morning practices and hurried morning routines can all be factors. Our volunteers see this need, and are there to assist with these programs at their local schools.”

Greenwood notes that fundraising is always needed to ensure the continuity of student nutrition program in the area. “The ongoing generosity of the ATV Riders Club is so important, and so appreciated,” she notes. “Nourishing young minds pays off in student success, and the support of the ATV Riders Club helps to ensure students in Northumberland County are well fed and ready to learn.”

To find out more about Northumberland Food for Thought, including how to volunteer with or financially support its work, call (905) 372-7863 or visit the group’s website.

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For media inquiries, contact:

Susan Greenwood, Community Development Coordinator, Northumberland Food For Thought, (905) 372-7863.