LOUISVILLE, Ky.- It's a donation that will help feed thousands of school children. Indiana-based handbag and luggage maker Vera Bradley has gifted the Louisville nonprofit, Blessings in a Backpack $136,000.

"So our goal was to raise $100,00 that we could give back to Blessings in a Backpack, which in turn comes back to you guys and schools all over the country," Greg Jaeger told an auditorium of 2nd and 3rd graders this week.

Jaeger says Vera Bradley, its employees, and charity partners far exceeded their donation goal which also came with 50,000 backpacks gifted earlier in the year.

Blessings in a Backpack is a Louisville-based charity helping to feed children on weekends. It's executive director says too many children go with very little food between the meals they eat while in school.

"It is really challenging. I like to call it the silent epidemic, childhood hunger because there are so many children across the United States that don’t have enough to eat," Brooke Wiseman tells Spectrum News 1.

This donation will help feed children in nearly every state and Washington, D.C. 

“It makes it all worthwhile. It’s always the best day when you actually get to come out with the kids," Wiseman adds.