Many children in our community get their breakfast and lunch at school at a reduced price or for free. But when school is closed on weekends and holidays, many of these children go hungry.

The BackPack Program provides children in need with bags of nutritious food they can take home and easily prepare on their own.

Good nutrition is critical to good health and success at school. Children who don’t get enough to eat often have:

Trouble concentrating
Lower math and English scores
Difficulty interacting with peers
Trouble finishing tests on time
Lower graduation rates

Children participating in the BackPack Program during the school year showed improvement in their energy levels and ability to concentrate, as well as a reduction in food insecure behavior such as asking for seconds or stealing food.

Items in the packs are:

Kid-friendly
Individually packaged, or small and light enough to carry
Shelf-stable
Easy to prepare, even without a stove or other equipment
Nutritious

Each BackPack bag weighs about 5-6 pounds and comes in a plastic grocery bag. The menu for each week’s bag includes 1-2 items from each of the food groups:

Fruits
Vegetables
Dairy
Grain
Protein
One “meal” item such as macaroni and cheese or soup
Snacks

Backpack Program - With Bags of Nutritious Food

By SAPIBON FOUNDATION

Backpack Program - With Bags of Nutritious Food