Lincoln Public Schools

Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education recognizes Scott Young

Originally published on: August 14, 2009

The Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) Board of Education recognized Scott Young, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Lincoln, citing his work with the BackPack Program.

Board of Education President Don Mayhew read a resolution that noted Young’s “foresight and insight to recognize the meaning and power in this simple concept: Children are our most important and valuable assets, and research shows that healthy, well-nourished children are much better learners.”

In the 2004-2005 school year, Young led the Food Bank in launching the BackPack Program, a collaborative effort with LPS and the Food Bank that sends food-filled backpacks home with school children on Friday afternoons.  Beginning with 50 backpacks at one LPS elementary school, the program has grown to a regional effort now distributing more than 1,500 backpacks each week to students in Lincoln and six surrounding communities.

That’s a total of 49,452 backpacks of food.  Conservatively estimating five meals per BackPack, the program distributed an incredible 247,260 meals to families of Southeast Nebraska last school year, almost a quarter of a million meals.

“Tonight, we recognize and honor Scott Young, the person whose vision, leadership and hard work has energized so many in our community to support the BackPack Program,” said Susan Gourley, LPS Superintendent.  “Scott continually recognizes and honors others who support, speak on behalf of and raise funds for this program.  He takes no credit for himself.  But anyone who has involvement or connection to the BackPack Program knows that the accolades for the success of this program belong to Scott Young.”

The resolution concluded: “We thank Scott Young for his extraordinary help in this worthy cause … helping to nurture, care for and feed the children of our community.  We thank him on behalf of the children and families of Southeast Nebraska.”