Food Finders Backpack Program
-Even mild malnutrition can affect a child's ability to learn.
-Just $5.00 each week provides healthy food for a child in need.
-One in four people served at a food pantry is a child.
-Food Finders supports backpack programs at 27 sites in 9 counties.
It isn’t uncommon to see kids leaving school for the weekend with a backpack. Most of them contain books, homework, and sneakers. No doubt some items would surprise most adults! But for many area elementary school children their “special” backpacks contain something very valuable food for the weekend. In many school districts where free and reduced lunch eligibility has grown, so has the number of children that come from food insecure homes. With family budgets stretched to the max these days, backpack food is often the bridge between Friday and Monday for some kids.
The program began in fall of 2006 with a grant from Alcoa to serve students at Miller and Vinton Elementary Schools. Since that time, the Backpack program has grown to serve more than 2200 students in 9 counties in the current school year. Selected students pick up a backpack filled with up to ten pounds of “kid-friendly” and nutritious food as they leave school for the weekend. When the student returns the backpack, they will receive another filled back pack the following Friday. Even the smallest of the Backpack kids proudly manages to maneuver their full backpacks to the bus and return the empty pack on Monday for that weekends refill. Each backpack contains kid friendly items such as peanut butter, shelf stable milk, crackers, cereal and soups. Special holiday packs are also provided to supplement the family. A small ham, fresh fruit, gloves, a hat and a few other goodies are often included at that time. Backpacks are assembled to contain items that follow the guidelines of federal nutrition standards.
Statistics show that of the students enrolled in Lafayette School Corporation elementary schools, more than half are free lunch eligible as well as nearly 25 % of those enrolled in Tippecanoe School Corporation. The number of children living in poverty in the Greater Lafayette area has reached an alarming 5,315! We are finding even higher numbers in Howard, Cass and other counties that Food Finders serves.
The program is specifically aimed at elementary school students who are experiencing critical periods of growth and development. Research conducted by the Center on Hunger and Poverty at Brandeis University indicates that even mild under-nutrition may lead to reductions in physical growth and impaired brain function. It is widely reported that children who experience hunger have higher levels of chronic illness, anxiety, depression and behavioral problems.
While Food Finders uses statistics through the Indiana Department of Education to invite individual schools, it is up to teachers, staff and administrators at each school to determine which student receives a backpack.
Our long term goal is to assist our service area communities in providing this service to their kids in need. Community groups have embraced the program granting operating funds, volunteering and advocating. Most of our existing programs have a church or civic organization as a volunteer partner. With this assistance there is no limit to the children this program can reach!
The real success story of this program will be healthier children who are able to learn and grow. With experience we have come to realize that where there is a hungry child there is most likely a hungry family. Our menus are designed to offer as much family size food as possible so that these supplies can be shared with siblings and others in the family. Occasionally, personal care items such as toothpaste or soap may be collected by a volunteer group and added to the backpacks as a special treat.
While this program concept is relatively new in Lafayette, similar programs have been adopted by several communities and food banks nationwide. With a strong commitment from Food Finders, the school corporation administrators and support from generous community volunteers, we expect this program to be one of our best for some time to come.
Backpack Facts
Currently serving over 2200 children in 9 counties.
More than 58,000 backpacks were distributed
in 2009-2010 school year providing over 425,000 pounds of nutritious food directly to families in need.
Grant funds totalling more than $100,000 are needed to support this program each year.
What we've heard...
School administrators
"Attendance is great those days!
"This is just what some families need to make ends meet. We are thankful for this blessing for our students."
Students
"Now we have supper."
"I like the backpacks. My mom likes them too because we don't have a lot of food. Please
do it again next year."
Food Finders Backpack Program was selected as a national mentor program by Feeding America!
Angela Tamer and Sherry McQueen from Old National Bank present Food Finders with check to help with backpack program.
Special thanks to Old National!
Please note the Food Finders Food Bank Web site is currently under construction. If you have any questions about data provided herein,
please contact us directly to ensure you are well informed on the organization.
Site design by Matt Emery
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I IIIAnchor Sue Scott explores the subject of childhood hunger in her special report "The Faces of Hunger" . The story highlights Food Finders Food Banks backpack program.
THANK YOU!
Special Thanks to Lafayette Carpet Cleaning and Scrub a Duds for cleaning the backpacks so as many can be reused as possible.
