Fighting Hunger – One Backpack at a Time

Channel One's Backpack Program

Children learn best when they feel good and they are not hungry.  Unfortunately for some children their weekend time away from school does mean they go hungry. Without a free or reduced price lunch at school the weekend means little food or maybe no food at home.   Channel One began a program in 2009, working in conjunction with a local church, to deliver backpacks full of weekend food to kids in two Rochester Public Schools. Currently they are partnering with ACTS For Kids organization and several area churches. 

At the end of the last school year, 717 school children in 10 schools were receiving a backpack of food. The program currently partners with 7 churches who volunteer to pack backpacks each week and deliver them to the schools. With this program, 2868 meals are provided weekly ( two breakfast and two lunch meals per student.)

The program has positive results. Comments from the school staff include:  “Improved attentiveness in school;”  “Improved attendance;” “Students are more alert.”

Next year they anticipate that the partner churches are ready to expand the program and will be in all 16 elementary schools in Rochester, serving between 1,000 and 1,200 students each week. 

The food items for the backpacks must be those which a child can easily open and heat in a microwave or eat cold. They are shelf ready products not needing refrigeration.

This is where Women’s Leadership Council members come in.

At Let’s Do Lunch (or Dinner) gatherings we will ask you to consider bringing food items for Channel One which are specific to the backpack program.  Even if you do not attend one of the gatherings but want to contribute, you may take food donations directly to Channel One or drop them off at United Way and we will deliver them.  

At the September Let’s Do Dinner, please bring individual fruit cups that have pop tops, peanut butter (small size - 16 ounce) or peanut butter granola bars. Look for more information about ongoing food needs when you receive a Let’s Do Lunch announcement.

This is one small way that Women’s Leadership Council members can help children in our community succeed in school – with a full tummy all week long.