(Ripley County, IN) – The Batesville High School and Milan High School varsity football teams have dedicated the 2023 season to Turnover Hunger in all five elementary schools serving Ripley County.
Turnover Hunger is a program supported by the Ripley County Community Foundation that accepts donations or pledges for every turnover that the Milan and/or Batesville varsity football teams force in their games during the 2023 season.
To participate, you may pledge a dollar amount for every turnover forced, or you may make a flat donation in support of each team’s effort.
At the end of the season, all pledges will be collected and donations will be granted to Batesville Primary School, Jac-Cen-Del Elementary School, Milan Elementary School, South Ripley Elementary School, and Sunman Elementary School.
The grant dollars are used to support the Weekend Back Sack Program which provides elementary school students who suffer from severe food insecurity with a backpack of kid-friendly, nonperishable food for the weekend.
According to the Indiana County Data Book, 690 children in Ripley County are food insecure; which means that they do not know when they will have their next meal.
Additionally, 22% of those children live in households that do not qualify for Federal and State Nutrition Programs, thereby further limiting a child’s access to food.
Therefore, local school administrators use The Weekend Back Sack Program to feed those children who are deemed to be the most in need by the school.
In Ripley County, The Weekend Backpack Program relies solely upon charitable donations and is one reason why coaches Evan Ulery and Ryan Langferman have devoted the 2023 football season to Turnover Hunger.
Through the Turnover Hunger initiative, these teams make an impact within their community through standout play on the football field.
When asked about the importance of the program, Milan High School’s Head Varsity Football Coach Ryan Langferman stated, “The Turnover Hunger program is a win-win for our football program. We always strive to create turnovers on defense and with this program, we can also take pride in knowing that we are making a difference by providing a service to our local community and creating a valuable philanthropic experience for our players.”
Batesville High School’s Head Varsity Football Coach Evan Ulrey stated, “I have been pleased with the impact the Turnover Hunger program has had in southeast Indiana. I am proud that our program led the initiative then with great leadership with the RCCF, we eventually added Oldenburg Academy and then Milan to team up with our cause. The growth from raising around $1500 year one to about $15,000 each of the past two years is amazing. These efforts have not just impacted Batesville kids but multiple school districts in the area. So, for our programs to not only help within our community but help plenty of other communities is a great precedent to set. Overall, I find the program simply has helped raise some awareness among our players but also helped instill a value and desire to give back to the community.”
You can get involved by contacting a varsity football player at Batesville or Milan, visiting www.rccfonline.org and making a pledge or a donation, by calling (812) 933-1098, or by stopping in at the Ripley County Community Foundation office located at 13 E. George Street, Suite B, in Batesville.
(Ripley County Community Foundation press release)