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Thanks to several organizations, 250 High Point area kids will be fed through the Second Harvest Food Bank’s Backpack Program.

United Way of Greater High Point announced Monday that Walmart Foundation and Reynolds American Foundation donated $25,000 and $10,000, respectively, to add 110 students to the program.

High Point Community Foundation contributed $18,000 and Truliant Federal Credit Union gave $1,000 last year.

The High Point program started in April 2010 with 80 youngsters and in less than a year has grown to feed 250.

The Backpack Program, a national program through Feeding America, provides children at risk of hunger with backpacks full of healthy food to take home over the weekend during the school year.

Bobby Smith, United Way president, said the funding was in addition to the nonprofit’s 2010 fundraising campaign, which surpassed it’s goal 104 percent with $4.4 million. Smith said the donations are significant because they came from sources outside of the city.

Smith credited staff member Desha Dickson for researching grants to fund the program.

Daisy Rodriguez of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina said the state ranks No. 10 in the country with children younger than 18 in households considered “food insecure.”

In the state, every one out of five children are food insecure.

These children ”are likely to suffer from weaker immune systems and are more likely to be hospitalized,” according to a United Way release. “Inadequate nutrition effects physical and cognitive development, and can result in children with lower cognitive function and learning potential, as well as behavioral difficulties.”

Problems continue into adulthood, too. “Adults who were hungry as children are less likely to have reached their full physical, educational and social potential, which lowers their ability to compete in the workplace,” the release said.

Pam Greene, Fairview Elementary’s Communities in Schools coordinator, said when children don’t eat much over the weekend, they come to school angry and fight. “We need to take care of their basic needs before we can educate them,” she said.

“It really does make a difference for the children we serve at Carl Chavis,” said Carlvena Foster, director of the Carl Chavis YMCA.

Smith said collecting food is a good way to help United Way partner agencies free up money for other needs in their budgets.

United Way is looking into partnerships for summer food programs. Smith said money is available, but agencies needs to step up to administer the program.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 373-7109 or elizabeth.seagraves@news-record.com