Food for kids backpack program

She noticed that as most kids were still finishing their first slices of pizza, a few were already asking for seconds and thirds. When Jennifer asked the teacher about these children, she learned that the reason they were so hungry was because it was a Monday, and there was a very good chance that the last full meal they had eaten had been at lunch on Friday.

That is when she decided to start the Food4Kids Backpack Program to provide these kids with basic nutrition when they need it most. With the help of Todd Morrone, the Gainesville Television Network and a number of individuals throughout the community, the program took off in March of and has been helping to feed these students every weekend since. Establish a central foundation for North Florida to identify and acquire resources, gather volunteers from communities and schools, and coordinate distribution of food.

Partner with food banks, faith networks and local businesses to create a sustainable support network. Remains passionate about sustaining and growing Food4Kids to reduce childhood hunger in our local community.

Continues to work beside the individual teams and the community to ensure "No Child Goes to Bed Hungry! Inga coordinates the enrollment of new students from partner schools into the Food4Kids Backpack Program.

We are also working with Alabama farmers to include fresh, locally-grown produce such as watermelon, blackberries, and sweet potatoes in the Summer Meals menu. Does your organization run a summer program for children? Looking to stretch your Summer Kids Program dollars?

Kids Meals Campaign Backpacks. Family Market. Summer Meals. Kids Meals Campaign. Schools Served. This program has had a two-fold effect on the both the parents and families and us as administrators. We want to be able to help our families more and this has been a critical element in that. This program has been a new avenue to help our families be successful. It has been a great tool to create and solidify relationships between those in need and the school.

However, school meals are not available on weekends, and many children go home to empty cupboards. Being at risk for hunger over the weekend makes it difficult to complete homework and come to school on Monday on time, healthy and ready to learn. Our Backpacks for Kids program helps close the gap for many local schoolchildren, to reduce the stress of weekend hunger and to help children develop into their healthiest and most successful selves.

Children who come to school well fed on Monday morning behave and perform better in their classrooms, which helps them and their peers succeed in school. The Backpacks for Kids Program provides income-eligible children with a bag of kid-friendly food on Fridays during the school year.

Food for People provides the food for the program and dedicated community volunteers pack and deliver the backpacks to each school site. Each bag contains enough food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two days.