Hearing firsthand stories about children rummaging in trash cans for food, hiding food in their pockets during lunch, taking food from lunch boxes in lockers – all happening on Fridays at school – led to the realization that children were trying to find ways to ensure there would be food for the weekend.  This awareness compelled The Food Bank to organize an effort to provide food for children on weekends.

Local elementary school staff identify chronically hungry students and then The Food Bank supplies a backpack filled with two breakfast meals and two lunch/dinner meals for those students to take home Friday afternoon.  On Monday morning, the child returns the empty backpack to school to be filled with food and taken home again on Friday afternoon.  The Food Bank for Kids BackPack Program hopes to expand in order to meet children’s needs.

Currently, the BackPack Program is serving over 2,000 children in 30 schools in nine school districts. To learn more, please contact Tim Bivens at (402) 331-1213.

With the rising cost of living expenses, more and more families are struggling to make ends meet. A gift of $168 provides one child a weekend backpack for the entire school year. Learn more about how to donate.

If you or your organization is interested in sponsoring a child's backpack, please contact Brian Barks at (402) 331-1213.