There are children in America that rely on resources such as free or reduced-priced school lunch, during the school year.

The BackPack Program is designed to meet the needs of hungry children at times when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations.

About the BackPack Program

• Backpacks filled with food that children take home on weekends
• Food is child-friendly, nonperishable and easily consumed.

Backpacks are discreetly distributed to children on the last day before the weekend or holiday vacation

The BackPack Concept

The BackPack Program concept was developed at the Arkansas Rice Depot, after a school nurse asked for help because hungry students were coming to her with stomachaches and dizziness. The local food bank began to provide the school children with groceries in non-descript backpacks to carry home.

More About this Program

In addition to providing nutritious food to school children in need, some BackPack Programs provide extra food for younger siblings at home and others operate during the summer months when children are out of school and have limited access to free or reduced-priced meals.

• The BackPack Program became a pilot program in 1995.  The National Council of Feeding America approved the BackPack Program as an official national program of the Network in July 2006.
• Bags of food assembled at more than 150 local food banks throughout the nation are distributed at the end of the week to nearly 230,000 children every year.
• Feeding America Southwest Virginia operates 31 Backpack distribution sites and provided food to over 2,200 children last year.

To become a BackPack Program site location or to support a local program, please contact Jackie Cundiff at (540) 342-3011 x7020.

Support this and other programs by  making a donation or to learn more about making a gift, please contact Development at (540) 342-3011 x7007.