The Problem
Children without proper nutrition have difficulties concentrating in school and are more prone to chronic illnesses that may hinder their growth and development. While schools provide meals for their students through school breakfast and lunch programs, some children may not have sufficient access to adequate, nutritious food outside of school hours. One of the way's the Brazos Valley Food Bank addresses childhood hunger is through it's Children's BackPack program.
According to Feeding America, 20% or 1 in 5 Texas children experience hunger, in the Brazos Valley, it's 1 in 4.
The Solution
The Brazos Valley Food Bank's Children's BackPack Program provides nutritious, easy-to-prepare food for low-income children to take home on weekends and school vacations. The program partners with local ISDs, where school coordinators identify and enroll children facing food insecurity. Backpacks are discreetly distributed each week, helping to bridge the gap when school meals are unavailable. This program is critical in reducing childhood hunger and supporting the health and academic success of vulnerable children in the Brazos Valley.
The Impact
BVFB's Children's BackPack Program has a profound impact on reducing childhood hunger throughout the Brazos Valley. This consistent support helps children maintain their health, energy, and focus, which in turn positively affects their academic performance and overall well-being. Through these efforts, the program not only alleviates hunger but also helps build a foundation for these children to thrive in school and beyond.
For the 2023 - 2024 School Year, BVFB served 2,434 children with 54,951 BackPacks at 41 Partner Schools across 6 counties.
Want to dive deeper into BVFB's BackPack Program?
Learn more about the ins-and-outs at the links below!
Food insecurity is harmful to all people, but it is particularly devastating to children. Proper nutrition is critical to a child’s development.
In the Brazos Valley, Childhood food insecurity rates (the most recent data being from 2022) are as follows
Brazos County: 22.6%
Burleson County: 22%
Grimes County: 23.7%
Madison County: 23.2%
Robertson County: 25.3%
Washington County: 22.2%
Below find Feeding America's research on the prevalence of and consequences of child hunger.
Feeding America: Child Hunger in America
Schools across the Brazos Valley apply to become Partner Sites and designate site coordinators who are responsible for selecting children for the program. These coordinators receive annual training and oversee the weekly distribution of food bags to the enrolled children.
BVFB staff deliver the pre-packed bags to schools, which are assembled by volunteers. Each BackPack bag weighs 5-6 pounds and contains approximately 14 food items, including milk, cereal, juice, protein, fruits, vegetables, snacks, and an easy-to-prepare meal like Easy Mac. These bags are designed to provide six meals and two snacks for each child, ensuring they have enough food to sustain them over the weekend. The bags come in durable ice bags, which are discreet and easily fit into the child’s backpack, maintaining their privacy while meeting their nutritional needs.
BackPack Partners across the Brazos Valley
Brazos: College Hills, Creek View, Forest Ridge, Greens Prairie, Pebble Creek, River Bend, Rock Prairie, South Knoll, Southwood Valley, Anson Jones, Bowen, Bonham, Crockett, Fannin, Henderson, Houston, Johnson, Kemp, Mary Branch, Mitchell, Neal, Navarro, Sul Ross Summer BackPack: Juvenile Services
Burleson: Caldwell, Snook, Somerville Elementary
Grimes: Brule, High Point, Webb Elementary, Iola, Anderson Shiro Elementary
Madison: Madisonville Elementary, North Zulch Elementary, Madisonville Intermediate
Robertson: Hearne, Bremond, Calvert Elementary. Summer BackPack: Network of Care
Washington: Alton, Brenham, Burton, Krause Elementary
The Brazos Valley Food Bank partners with schools and summer youth programs to provide nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to children who are at risk of going hungry over the weekend. As a BackPack Partner Site, you will work alongside the Brazos Valley Food Bank to help address childhood hunger at your site.
The Brazos Valley Food Bank:
- Raises funds to acquire food for BackPack bags
- Packs BackPack bags with the help of many volunteers
- Delivers BackPack bags to BackPack program partners
- Offers annual training to BackPack Site Coordinators
Each BackPack Partner Site:
- Designates one person to serve as the BackPack Site Coordinator, acting as the liaison with the Brazos Valley Food Bank
- Safely stores BackPack bags until they are passed out to children
- Identifies and enrolls children who will benefit most from receiving a weekly BackPack bag
- Distributes BackPack bags to enrolled children to take home over the weekend
- Tracks and reports bags distributed
Being a BackPack Partner Site requires dedication and great communication within your site and with the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
If you are interested in becoming a BackPack Program partner, contact BVFB's Special Programs Manager, Winter Terral.
Winter Terral – Special Programs Manager
979-779-3663 ext. 113
WinterT@bvfb.org