The Backpack Program addresses the basic needs of students in the Shoals community by providing carriers of nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to take home on weekends when other resources may not be available. Unreliable access to food over the weekends can affect the level of food insecurity experienced by students, increasing stress and decreasing productivity. Children who are hungry simply cannot concentrate to learn, have low energy and reduced ability to fight off common childhood illnesses.

We continue to make a difference with our Friday Backpack Project. About half of our after school children are on free or reduced lunch at school. This means they get breakfast and lunch at school Monday through Friday. The food we send home in backpacks each Friday helps fill the gap between Friday and Monday. It’s all single-serve, kid-friendly food like mac and cheese, fruit cups, peanut butter crackers and cereal bars. You can make a difference by donating any single-serve food items to the Backpack Project.

There are several advantages in the way the Backpack Program addresses the needs of hungry children:

• Referrals are made by Teacher, School Social Worker, Administrator, School Health Aide and other staff who are in a position to identify hungry children.
• Children are not stigmatized because the food is given to them discreetly.
• Food gets directly and immediately into the hands of hungry children.
• Children receive food that is appropriate for them to eat and meets many nutritional requirements.
• Children receive food with no questions asked and without bureaucratic requirements.

If you would like to find out more about the Backpack Program or how you can help, please contact Jason in our Youth Development Center at 256-246-9622 or jharbison@ymcashoals.org.