The Rotary Club of Richmond Hill has launched a program to help support approximately 70 hungry children who attend our schools and rely on the Backpacks of Love program that they do not go hungry over the weekends and during school vacations.
This program provides snacks and non-perishable food items to children from low income families who live in a situation where meals are not a priority.
The items that are in high demand and often have to be purchased include granola bars, fruit bars, individual cereal bowls, and pop-tarts. The Rotary Club of Richmond Hill is making every third weekly meeting of the month a focus on ‘Future Generations’ when suitable groceries will be collected from Rotarians.  
These groceries are then delivered to the New Beginnings Church to prepare the backpacks every week and discretely provide them to children.
In addition, Rotarians with businesses are hosting collection points and encouraging everyone who is able to contribute regularly.  
These include:
- First Bank of Coastal Georgia, 9720 Ford Avenue
- Richmond Hill/Bryan County Chamber of Commerce, 2951 Highway 17 – Suite 100  
- Southeastern Bank, 2004 Highway 17
- South State Bank, 9971 Ford Avenue
- Ameris Bank, 10425 Ford Avenue
- Life Moves Studio, Ford Avenue
- Suites At Station Exchange, 3205 TSX Grand Central
Derrick Smith, president of the First Bank of Coastal Georgia in Richmond Hill is the Rotarian leading this initiative with Byron Atkinson and Ashley Roberts of the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill.
“There should not be hungry children anywhere and the thought of them in our own community is heartbreaking," Smith said. "Rotary is all about serving our community and this year we are particularly focusing on Future Generations. By remembering to regularly purchase groceries to support the Backpacks of Love program and encouraging others in our community to do the same we are living the Rotary ideal of `Service above Self.’”