Backpack Buddies

About the Program

BackPack Buddies targets kids who access free & reduced-price lunches at school. Children are identi!ed as “in need” by school guidance counselors and site coordinators.

Backpacks are !lled with healthy foods and are discreetly distributed to children before weekends or holiday vacations.

Empty backpacks are recollected and re!lled for the next weekend’s use.

Each Backpack Contains:

2 canned vegetables, 1 canned fruit, 2 canned meats or meat stews, 2 packaged noodles, 2 100% juice boxes, 3 boxes shelf stable milk, 2 healthy snacks, 2 breakfast items.

Changing Lives…

A family support worker told me that she had been at the hone of some brothers who participated int he program on several days when they arrived home from school.  she called me to tell me, “You would think it is Christmas because they cannot wait to open the bags up and see what food they have that week!  They espicially like the individual packs of peanut butter.”

When asking a 1st grade student what type of food he ate on the weekend, he replied “Oh…we don’t eat on the weekend.”  When I asked him if he would like to be a Backpack Buddy and explained the program to him, he started jumping up and down with an excited look on his face and exclaimed, “YES, YES, YES!”

How can I get involved?

Sponsorship - Help a child become a part of the Backpack Buddies through a monetary donation.  For less than a dollar a day a child can have access to nutritious food every weekend for an entire year.

1 year……………$350

1 Semester………$175

1 Month…………$39

Go to Online Giving at vineyardnc.org in the drop down menu specify “Backpack Buddies”.  Thank you

Food Drives

Hold a Backpack Buddies food drive with your group, at your office, club, or congregation.  New backpacks are welcome too.

Volunteer

email info@vineyardnc.org and tell our Backpack Buddies Coordinator that you want to become a Volunteer.  We’ll get back in touch with you.