Celebrity chefPaula Deen and The Bag Lady Foundation recently made a generous donation to The Victory Train® organization.

“We are grateful for the generosity and support of Paula Deen and her Bag Lady Foundation,” said Theresa Kemp, president and founder of The Victory Train.“We are honored to have this support and Ms. Deen’s vote of confidence in our program.”

Victory Trainis an early childhood education program that partners with parents in the Greene County community, providing them with the skills and resources needed to prepare their child for kindergarten-readiness.Weekly educational packets are delivered to their homes, including books, puzzles, educational toys and supplies, beginning at birth, and parents are guided every step of the way, helping them ensure their child arrives at the first day of school confident and ready to succeed.

Kindergarten-readiness is a key indicator to a child’s future academic and economic success, and a critical first milestone on a child’s pathway to high school graduation.

“Thanks to generous donors like Paula Deen and The Bag Lady Foundation, we are able to serve more children,” said Kemp.“Our child head count is exploding! We currently have over 380 children “Riding” on the Train.That’s over 500% growth since the start of 2020.”

Kemp had the pleasure of meeting with Deen at her restaurant, The Lady and Sons, located in Savannah, Georgia.

“I think The Victory Trainis a wonderful program and I just love what you all are doing,” Deen told Kemp.“You are helping so many precious children and your program is changing their lives.”

Deen started The Bag Lady Foundation in 2012 to provide hope, inspiration and support to women and families during their time of need.The mission of The Bag Lady Foundation is to improve the well-being, health, and independence of women, children and families.

“I think The Victory Train® has similar goals as The Bag Lady Foundation, and I am glad to be able to help them further their mission,” said Deen.

“We are grateful to have the support of Paula Deen and her foundation,” Kemp said. “Her generosity enables us to provide for more children in our community, ensuring they are on a successful pathway to high school graduation.It was an honor to meet Paula. She is such a delight, and you couldn’t help but be captivated by her infectious laugh and beautiful smile. We appreciate her kindness and generosity to our families.”

The Victory Train® is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.victorytrain.org.