News

Governor's Award to GumDrops Founder, Amy Simpson

April

2011

SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS, April 6, 2011 / The Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service presented “The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award” to Amy M. Simpson, of Carterville, Illinois and founder of GumDropKids.org

These awards recognize individual volunteers through a statewide award program to highlight the importance of volunteerism and community service in the State of Illinois. Individual awards are presented to one Youth, one Adult, and one Retiree/Senior in each of the five service regions across Illinois (Northeast, Northwest, East Central, West Central and Southern Illinois).

GumDropKids.org is a non-profit organization that provides a weekend backpack filled with with child-friendly foods to at-risk children in southern Illinois. The GumDropKids backpack program began as a mission project for the young ladies of the First Baptist Church of Carterville in January of 2008 in the Carterville School System. The first drop provided backpacks for 12 children. By the end of the school year, GumDropKids.org was delivering 64 backpacks a week. In January 2009, the backpack program was extended to the Herrin School District.

GumDropKids.org now feeds more than a 1200 at-risk children in 6 counties, 13 School Districts and 34 schools. Director Amy Simpson states that recently added communities include, Marion, Johnston City, Dongola, Elkville, Vergennes, and Tamms.

Ms Simpson states, “As additional funding comes available, we will be expanding those backpack program to other school districts throughout southern Illinois.” When asked about receiving the award Ms. Simpson replied, “it's very humbling but none of this could be done without the help of our volunteers.” Volunteers for GumDropKids have filled over 34,000 backpacks since the program began. Every week, numerous volunteers pack the bags, unload trucks, and deliver the bags to all the different schools.

Amy M. Simpson is a native of Carterville, Illinois. She is married to Ron Simpson and they have three children, ages 23, 22 and 16. Amy has been an employee of the City of Carterville for 13 years and works as the Accounts Receivable Clerk for the Water and Sewer Department.

Interview with WSIL-TV3

November

2010

GumDrops & GoodSearch

August

2010

GoodSearch & GoodShop

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