Vermont Foodbank BackPack Program

The BackPack Program

All school-aged children today have one thing in common: the ever present backpack.  For most kids a backpack might contain books and other school supplies. For children participating in the BackPack™ Program, a backpack means much more – it means a weekend with a full belly.

With the new school year coming, the Vermont Foodbank wants to do everything it can to ensure that children in our communities don’t go hungry over the weekend. Beginning in October 2008, the Foodbank is launching a new weekend feeding program for children called the BackPack™ Program. This nationally recognized program of America’s Second Harvest is designed to meet the needs of hungry children at times when other resources, like school breakfast and lunch, are not available, such as weekends and school vacations.

There are almost 23,000 children in Vermont that rely on resources such as free or reduced-priced school meals during the school year. This year the Vermont Foodbank will start the BackPack™ Program in the Barre and Northfield/Roxbury school districts, feeding 150 children in 6 schools EVERY WEEK. During this pilot year, the Foodbank plans to distribute approximately 21,000 pounds of food to children participating in the program.
 
There are more than 110 America's Second Harvest Network Members operating BackPack Programs in 39 states and Washington, D.C. Nationally, Food Banks distribute as many as 35,000 backpacks each week.This program is the fastest growing National program within America’s Second Harvest Network.  Within the last year, the program has experienced close to 100 percent growth.

How does the Program work?

Bags of child-friendly, nonperishable, easily consumed and vitamin fortified food will be packed at the Vermont Foodbank and then distributed to designated sites within the selected school districts. Each of the six schools will have a site coordinator that is in charge of record keeping and quality control. Site coordinators will work with teachers to ensure that the correct number of packs are distributed each Friday. To reduce any stigma, teachers will put the packs of food into the backpacks of those children that are participating in the program while the students are not in the classroom.

The packs will contain about eight food items for the weekend; each pack contains similar items.  Some of the items might be: shelf-stable milk boxes, juice boxes, tuna, peanut butter, crackers, applesauce or fruit cup, trail mix, pudding, granola, beef stew, macaroni & cheese, and vegetables.

Who is eligible?
A percentage of children who are currently receiving free lunch through the Federal School Lunch Program will be eligible for the BackPack™ Program.  Food service providers, along with school nurses and other staff, will determine those students they deem most in need and send permission slips home to their parents explaining the program.