BackPack™ Program

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.[1]

Starting January 7, 2008 Northern Illinois Food Bank began its own BackPack Program to serve communities and children currently not involved in NIFB's Youth Nutrition Program. NIFB’s diverse and large territory makes it logistically and financially impossible to serve all communities within the current program structure. There are children in need of nutritional assistance living in communities that do not have access to after-school programs, discount grocers or adequate food pantries. The BackPack Program will be an effective tool to address these children, and significantly add to and strengthen all nutrition programs.

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.