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The BackPack
Program concept was developed at the Arkansas Rice Depot in Little Rock after a
school nurse asked for help because hungry students were coming to her with
stomach aches and dizziness. The local food bank began to provide the school
children with groceries in non-descript backpacks to carry home. Currently, the
BackPack Program is a national program administered by America’s Second Harvest.
The BackPack Program
meets the needs of hungry children when other resources are unavailable during
weekends and school vacations. Discrete backpacks are filled with
nutritious, child-friendly and shelf-stable food. Backpacks are
distributed by teachers or school counselors to students before a weekend or
holiday vacation.
In its first week
of operation, 86 backpacks
were delivered to 7 schools in Freeport. During the second week, 142 backpacks
were delivered. Children were identified by school counselors to be at-risk of
minimal or no nutrition while at home. The backpacks NIFB delivers are filled
with enough food to feed six nutritious and filling meals to a family of three!
What kind of food will kids
receive?
The food in the
backpacks will be nutritious, child-friendly and nonperishable. Some examples
are pop-top soup, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, canned fruits, bread,
tuna, apples and granola bars. NIFB will provide roughly 8-10lbs of food per
backpack. Personal care and non-food items like soap, gloves and hand-lotion may
also be included as it is available.
Do programs have to pay for
food or backpacks?
The BackPack Program is free to sites. Thanks to the Community Foundation of
Northern Illinois the BackPack Program was able to start up in Freeport. Other
grants and donations also support the program.
How will the backpacks get to sites?
NIFB staff and volunteers will pack backpacks a week prior to delivery. NIFB
will deliver directly to sites every week for distribution on Fridays or before
holidays.
How can I help?
NIFB relies on the
generosity and talent of its of volunteers and donors.
If you are interested in
volunteering for the BackPack Program, please check out available
positions in your area by
clicking here. NIFB is also happy to mail a
brochure about volunteer opportunities. Please call
(630) 443-6910 or email
hunger@northernilfoodbank.org ATTN: Volunteer Coordinator.
If you would like to donate to the
BackPack Program please click here.
Further Information
For more information on
NIFB’s BackPack Program
call (630) 443-6910 or email
hunger@northernilfoodbank.org.
For information on the national BackPack™
Program visit
America’s Second Harvest’s website.
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