Kind-hearted Bermudians have rallied round to save an under-threat food programme that feeds hungry schoolchildren.

From individual donations to larger pledges from companies big and small, the phone has been ringing off the hook at the Special Assistance Programme for CedarBridge Academy students.

And programme co-ordinator Marilyn Jackson said she had been caught off guard after the school’s plight was highlighted on the front page of The Royal Gazette yesterday.

“I didn’t expect it [a response] this fast,” she said. “I see Bermudians as very generous and very responsive to people that are in need.

“It’s kind of caught me off guard. We have to field the calls and make sure that everything is in order. I really, really appreciate the responses we have gotten and the generosity of the people who have responded.”

From struggling to survive, Ms Jackson now has happier problem — figuring out how to spend all the money that has poured in since the story broke.

“Now we have to sit down and look at how we are going to use the money.

“The main thing right now is the food programme,” she said. “I’m still on the phone, calling people or calling people back. A lot of people have called, so I have to get back to them.”

She noted the struggling programme had been forced to reduce the help it gave to needy students but would not been able to increase support.

Students who are currently being given two vouchers for hot lunches and three bag lunches a week, for example, may now be able to get five hot lunches.

“We have had to cut back so we will have to look at that again to see how we can improve the programme.

“We had to cut back because the funds were running out, so we may be able to re-offer that again and expand on the two [vouchers] and give more vouchers,” she said.

“I need to sit down with my committee and the principal to look at ways to utilise the money appropriately. I’m very happy.

“Last year I was really, really concerned because our money was running out and children were still hungry. This is helping a lot. We could probably help more children, more students [now].”

She said students who received help were carefully vetted to ensure they were truly in need.

“We have to be so vigilant to make sure it’s not being abused. But, for the most part, the students do not abuse the programme.

“The ones on the lunch programme and breakfast programme, they have a genuine need,” she said.

She also reiterated the importance of proper nutrition for students could not be overstated.

She added that she did not want, at this stage, to reveal the names of the donors who stepped forward after seeing yesterday’s article.

The Student Assistance Programme (SAP) was formed some years ago to meet the needs of CedarBridge Academy pupils but it is now struggling to help them because of a lack of funds.

On Tuesday, CellOne provided students with breakfast as part of the Food For Thought initiative aimed at ensuring students have a healthy meal before their exams.

There are currently 15 to 20 needy students who benefit from the programme.

CedarBridge spokeswoman Gina Davis said it was already recognised that “throughout the year, several students attend school every day, not having had any dinner the night before, or breakfast in the morning, and certainly there is nothing for lunch”.

She stressed that the situation was not unique to Bermuda.

But she also stressed that in a country that still considers itself to be a wealthy country, nothing is in place to feed high school students to ensure their success in school.

“There are programmes for primary school students, but high school students, whose parents have financial challenges, also need food, but nothing publicly exists,” said Ms Davis.

For more information call Ms Jackson on 278-1574 or school counsellor Roshanda Caines on 296-5665 extension 2123.