La Crosse, WI— Dairyland Power Cooperative’s partner school, Hintgen Elementary, will benefit from a $2,500 combined donation from Dairyland and President & CEO Brent Ridge. Dairyland donated $2,000 in support of Hintgen’s schoolwide snack fund; Ridge and his wife, Lisa, personally provided an additional contribution for a total of $2,500.
“The ongoing support from Dairyland is essential for Hintgen students and families,” said Principal Amy Oliver. “This latest donation from Dairyland will ensure our students can receive nutritious snacks for the remainder of the school year. Thank you for making a real difference to our students!”
Approximately 70 percent of Hintgen’s students qualify for Free and Reduced meals, due to their household income level. (The state average is 42% per school.) Based on the needs of the student population, Hintgen also qualifies as a “certified free school” for breakfast and lunch. However, students also need a daily snack, which carries an annual cost of over $13,000 for the school. To offset costs, Principal Oliver seeks donations and writes grants to ensure students are able to receive a healthy snack during the day. “Dairyland was our first donor supporting schoolwide snacks,” noted Principal Oliver.
“Food insecurity is a problem that impacts the ability to learn and thrive in the classroom,” said Ridge. “It is a privilege to continue to partner with our neighborhood school in support of education and quality of life for local families.”
Dairyland collaborates with the La Crosse Public Education Foundation on its Adopt-a-School program as Hintgen Elementary’s partner. The Adopt-a-School program matches businesses and community organizations to specific schools in La Crosse.
With headquarters in La Crosse, Wis., Dairyland provides wholesale electricity to 24 member distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities. A Touchstone Energy Cooperative, Dairyland’s service area encompasses 62 counties in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. Visit www.dairylandpower.com.
