BRIGHT APPLEProviding healthy snacks for students every school day
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About Us
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Bright Apple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides healthy snacks for students every school day. Many students have lunch at school but don’t eat again until the next day. We can’t begin to close the achievement gap until our children are able to focus on things other than basic necessities. Studies show that if students are behind in reading by third grade, most never catch up and many will not graduate high school. It’s our mission to focus on feeding children so they can focus on learning.
We have relationships with food distributors to have USDA Smart Snacks (apples, bananas, cheese and crackers, etc.) sent directly to our participating Bright Apple Schools. We coordinate with school principals to identify each school's needs and they make sure their students receive the snacks. For as little as five dollars a month a child can receive a healthy snack all school year. Our greater goal is to bring Bright Apple to schools across the United States. Will you consider being part of the Bright Apple solution to childhood hunger? Since 2019 over 750,000 healthy snacks have been given to Maury County Students. Bright Apple currently serves daily snacks to more than 1500 students in Maury County. |
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From our Bright Apple Schools:
Highland Park Elementary
Highland Park Elementary School was one of the first schools to begin receiving Smart Snacks from Bright Apple. Since the students began receiving the snacks, School Principal Kelly Myers reports that they are “really making a difference.”
“The snacks we receive from Bright Apple are so helpful for our students and the teachers,” Myers said. “Having the same snacks for every student has really leveled the playing field. They are healthy and easy to have available for the students whenever they are needed throughout the day.”
Myers says that the teachers themselves had been providing snacks for some children before Bright Apple stepped in to help.
“The teachers don’t want any child to feel different or left out if their parent is not able to provide a snack for the school day,” Myers said.
The volume of students at the elementary school necessitates a lunch schedule where some students eat lunch as early as 10:20 or as late as 1:00. “For our students who have an early lunch, they may have had a good breakfast and not eat lunch as well. By the time they get to the afternoon, they are hungry,” said Myers. “The opposite is true for our students who eat lunch later and have a long stretch in the morning.”
The Bright Apple Snacks are on hand for the teachers to utilize as needed. If a student chooses not to eat their snack during the day, they are able to take it home to eat it later. Teachers are no longer having to use their own personal money to buy snacks for the students.
“Bright Apple Snacks are a great resource for us. They are great healthy snacks! Every student can have the same one, which also encourages the students to eat healthy food together,” Myers said.
“No one feels left out! The teachers don’t have to miss a beat as the students can keep working while they eat their healthy snacks.”
Myers reports that 95 to 100 students of the nearly 300 at Highland Park Elementary are enrolled in the “jet pack” program that provides food for the weekends. “The percentage of students that we have enrolled in the jet pack program shows how much food is truly needed by our students,” said Myers.
“Our school is truly blessed with many supporters. We are so thankful for resources like Bright Apple.”
“The snacks we receive from Bright Apple are so helpful for our students and the teachers,” Myers said. “Having the same snacks for every student has really leveled the playing field. They are healthy and easy to have available for the students whenever they are needed throughout the day.”
Myers says that the teachers themselves had been providing snacks for some children before Bright Apple stepped in to help.
“The teachers don’t want any child to feel different or left out if their parent is not able to provide a snack for the school day,” Myers said.
The volume of students at the elementary school necessitates a lunch schedule where some students eat lunch as early as 10:20 or as late as 1:00. “For our students who have an early lunch, they may have had a good breakfast and not eat lunch as well. By the time they get to the afternoon, they are hungry,” said Myers. “The opposite is true for our students who eat lunch later and have a long stretch in the morning.”
The Bright Apple Snacks are on hand for the teachers to utilize as needed. If a student chooses not to eat their snack during the day, they are able to take it home to eat it later. Teachers are no longer having to use their own personal money to buy snacks for the students.
“Bright Apple Snacks are a great resource for us. They are great healthy snacks! Every student can have the same one, which also encourages the students to eat healthy food together,” Myers said.
“No one feels left out! The teachers don’t have to miss a beat as the students can keep working while they eat their healthy snacks.”
Myers reports that 95 to 100 students of the nearly 300 at Highland Park Elementary are enrolled in the “jet pack” program that provides food for the weekends. “The percentage of students that we have enrolled in the jet pack program shows how much food is truly needed by our students,” said Myers.
“Our school is truly blessed with many supporters. We are so thankful for resources like Bright Apple.”
Joseph Brown Elementary
It is my first year at Joseph Brown Elementary but my 25th year to teach. I was so surprised the first day of school when I was told that the students would always have daily snacks. Because of Bright Apple, kids will not go hungry and I appreciate this so much. It was an eye-opening experience when I called my students to come and get a snack out of the basket and they raced all at once so excited. At the previous school where I taught, kids would have never cared that much. These kids really appreciate it and it helps them so much. At the end of the day one day, I asked a student why she had not eaten her snack yet and she replied sadly that it was going to be her supper. That broke my heart. You guys have no idea without me telling you how much this means to our school! Thank you Bright Apple for being the apple of my students' eyes. Ms. Sadonna Smith – 2nd Grade Teacher.
McDowell Elementary School
December 2019
Good afternoon,
I wanted to reach out and let you know how grateful we are for the support you have provided for our McDowell students. They are flourishing with the afternoon snacks and it has also improved their behavior... We couldn’t be more thankful for your thoughtfulness and investment in our students. We hope this holiday season brings you blessings and joy!
Kind regards,
Breckon
Breckon Pennell, Ed. D.
Principal
McDowell Elementary School
Good afternoon,
I wanted to reach out and let you know how grateful we are for the support you have provided for our McDowell students. They are flourishing with the afternoon snacks and it has also improved their behavior... We couldn’t be more thankful for your thoughtfulness and investment in our students. We hope this holiday season brings you blessings and joy!
Kind regards,
Breckon
Breckon Pennell, Ed. D.
Principal
McDowell Elementary School