The Food Bank of Delaware’s “Backpack Program” is receiving a big financial boost.
The Food Bank is receiving $50,000 from the Morgan Stanley Foundation to fund its “Backpack Program.”
The Backpack Program provides nutritious and easy-to-prepare food for children to take home on weekends and school vacations when other resources may not be available.
And its communications director Kim Turner, says the grant makes an expansion of the program possible.
“What’s special about this grant is, our Backpack Program is traditionally for children in grades 1st through 12. But as we all know, younger kids are also experiencing hunger. So with this money we’ll be able to partner with pre-schools to provide weekend food to pre-schoolers throughout the State,” Turner said.
Turner adds that it costs approximately $168 to provide each child with weekend and holiday food for a whole school year. That includes the backpack, food, supplies, transportation and program administration.
The Food Bank’s “Backpack Program” has been running since 2006.
“Through the Backpack Program, we provide bags full of food for kids who are at-risk of hunger. The Program takes place during the school year. So, on Friday or a day before a holiday, a teacher or school nurse, a crisis interventionist, will identify children who are at-risk of hunger,” said Turner.
Turner says food and informational flyers for the backpacks are packed by volunteers, and the Food Bank of Delaware delivers them to participating sites weekly.
