While in-school breakfast and lunch provide reliable nutrition throughout the school week, less advantaged students may experience food insecurity when school is not in session. For these students, insufficient nutrition over weekends and school breaks has the potential to limit their ability to learn, grow, and thrive. The Food Bank partners with schools to identify students in need and to provide weekend food BackPacks each Friday afternoon throughout the school year. For these students, the consistent food supply the BackPack program provides can help alleviate food insecurity for the student by discreetly providing a set of nutritious, kid-friendly food each week. A rotating menu of ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare foods keeps variety high, and the program menu benefits from the many varied donations the Food Bank receives each week.

Each BackPack contains:

2 breakfast items (cereal, oatmeal packets, graham crackers, granola bars)

3 entrées (macaroni & cheese, PB & J, Spaghetti-O’s, tuna fish, soup, spaghetti and sauce)

A loaf of bread

Stewart’s voucher cards for a gallon of milk and dozen eggs (distributed every other week)

Canned vegetables (distributed monthly)

2 snacks (cookies, popcorn, pudding, etc.)

 

Menus vary each week to provide participating children with variety.

Who we serve

The Regional Food Bank and Food Bank of the Hudson Valley BackPack Program serves nearly 7,000 students in 241 schools across 22 counties.

FBHV Complete List of schools
FBHV General Brochure 22-23

BackPack Toolkit

Partner schools, click here for the BackPack Toolkit.

New Schools

The BackPack Program continues to grow.  We are excited to talk to potential new BackPack partner schools about enrolling in the Program throughout the school year.

Please contact the Food Bank to learn more about the onboarding process.

How you can help

To contribute toward the BackPack program, please consider making a cash donation here and choosing “Children’s Programs” from the drop-down menu. To designate your donation to a specific school, please include it in the Partner Agency Name/Number field.

For more information about the BackPack Program, please contact:

Troy Martin
Children’s Program Coordinator
Food Bank of the Hudson Valley
845-534-5344 x108
tmartin@foodbankofhudsonvalley.org.