Regency’s Boca and Miami offices came together to give back in a big way through the Pack-A-Sack of Broward County program. In partnership with Nourishing Lives, a Florida-based nonprofit currently feeding 200 children each week, the teams collected non-perishable food donations for local school children and families attending Driftwood Elementary, A.C. Perry Elementary, Stirling Elementary, Palm Cove Elementary, Pembroke Pines Elementary, Miramar Elementary, Pasadena Lakes Elementary and more.
Launched by Nourishing Lives in 2009, the program was created from a vision to feed, love and serve Broward County School children who are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch at school. Today, Pack-A-Sack recipients receive a weekly bag of food items to nourish them over the weekends, as well as a larger monthly supply featuring items like peanut butter and cereal. Throughout the last nine years, Pack-A-Sack has developed partnerships with other local organizations including Miramar-Pines Rotary Club, Hollywood Rotary Club, and Boy and Girl Scouts of America.
Upon finding out that there was a need for Nourishing Lives volunteers and hearing their mission, there was an overwhelming response from the entire Regency Centers team — everyone immediately offered their assistance," said Renee Squillante, Manager, Financial Services. "Volunteering with Pack-A-Sack put so much into perspective for us, and helped us recognize just how important it is to give back — and just how much these children depend on it.
Today, Pack-A-Sack is offered in 11 Southwest Broward County schools (and counting), and helps serve more than 200 students in need. Working diligently alongside school administrators, guidance counselors, teachers and social workers, the Nourishing Lives team hopes to expand their efforts to positively affect the lives of as many children in need as possible. Their ultimate vision? “To build bridges in the community that connect churches, schools, businesses, and civic organizations to build a community in action that supports our best resource — our children.”