Lincoln Public Schools and Food Bank recognized after raising more than $400,000 for student food programs

Lincoln Public Schools and the Food Bank of Lincoln on May 27 described this year’s Extra Mile Walk fundraising effort and recognized top fundraising schools; the district said the campaign and a foundation gift produced more than $400,000 to support student food programs.

District presenters told the board that staff and students raised about $200,000 during February–April events and that the Ackley Charitable Foundation donated an additional $200,000, bringing the total to more than $400,000 for the year. Board members and staff credited school captains, volunteers and partners for the result.

John Mabry of the Food Bank of Lincoln thanked the district for its partnership and noted the personal work of Food Bank staff in picking up donations. The district presentation named top fundraisers by level: Maxey Elementary raised more than $9,400 (top at the elementary/district level), Pound Middle School raised about $3,300 at the middle level, Standing Bear High School raised about $1,100 at the high school level, and the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment team raised more than $3,600 at the district office level. Team captains named in the presentation were Amy Demma (Maxey), Sarah Parkening (Pound), Angela Christianson Fisher (Standing Bear) and JJ Dugdale (Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment).

Board members asked how fundraising translated into food items; district staff said roughly $10 buys one backpack, which would equate to approximately 40,000 backpacks if all funds were spent on backpacks — the district described that as a rough estimate.

The board publicly thanked organizers and partners, including volunteer April Douglas and industry partner Duncan Aviation, and heard that memorial gifts in memory of Lanny Boswell and Greg Tebow helped reach the goal. No formal vote or appropriation was recorded; the item was a recognition and update to the board.