1. The BackPack Program By: Kylee Beshears Arkansas state university

2. What is the backpack program?
You have heard about free and reduced lunches for students in America, but what happens when these students go home? For many students, the meals they get at school are all that they get. The backpack program helps students get that food.

3. What is the history behind the backpack program?
The first backpack program came about in little rock, Arkansas in 1995 (About 20 years ago). The concern blossomed when a school nurse noticed several students struggling in school. She went to one of the food banks in Arkansas and asked if there was anything they could do because the students were falling behind in school.
Today, this is a well known program that benefits so many kids around the united states every year!

4. WHY IS THE BACKPACK PROGRAM IMPORTANT?
As educators/ future educators, we need to be concerned about the well being of each student in our class- and not only the in classroom, but outside of the classroom, as well. We can all agree that students who eat nutritious meals do better in school. Some students do not get the meals that they need when they go home and they get penalized for it at school. The backpack program provides a safe way for students to get the food they need in order to do well in school.

5. How does the backpack program work?
SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WILL SEND HOME FOOD WITH STUDENTS AT THE END OF THE WEEK FOR THE STUDENTS TO EAT OVER THE WEEKEND.
THE PROGRAM IS CALLED “BACKPACK PROGRAM” BECAUSE FOOD IS SENT HOME WITH THE STUDENTS INSIDE OF THEIR BACKPACK SO OTHER STUDENTS WON’T KNOW ABOUT IT.
THE BACKPACK HAS ENOUGH FOOD ITEMS FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER, AND A SNACK FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

6. What are Participating schools in our area?
Augusta school district
Buffalo island central school district
Forrest city school district
Hillcrest school district
Jonesboro public school district
Jackson county school district
Trumann school district
Lawrence county school district
Marked tree school district
Marmaduke school district
Maynard school district
Nettleton school district
Riverside east elementary
Wynne public school district

7. How many students does the backpack program feed?
More than 22 million students receive free and reduced lunches; however, only 450,000 students are involved in the backpack program.
Through the program, food is distributed by more than 160 different food banks.

8. What food is in the backpack program?
Peanut butter
Canned chicken/tuna
Low sodium vegetables
Fruit (in juice)
Spaghetti (no glass containers)
Canned beans
Cereal
Whole grain snacks
(Personal care items are also included)

9. What are useful facts about the program?
$1 can feed a child 5 meals
In Arkansas, it cost $262 for a child to have a weekly backpack for a year
Started with just preschool and elementary, but there are currently 5 middle schools
As of February 5, 2015, eight middle/high schools were on the waiting list to have this program

10. How can you donate? http://foodbankofnea.org/ VISIT THIS WEBSITE
CLICK THE “DONATE NOW” LINK
SELECT TO DONATE FOOD, MONEY, OR TIME
FOLLOW THE EASY INSTRUCTIONS TO FURTHER THE DONATING PROCESS.

11. How do you get in contact with the local backpack program?
TO EXPAND THE BACKPACK PROGRAM TO A LOCAL SCHOOL
MAILING ADDRESS: p.o BOX 2097, JONESBORO, AR 72402
CALL: (870)
Fax: (870)

12. Sources
Feeding America, children/backpack-program/
Feed more, program/weekend-backpack-programs
The backpack extra mile walk,