Backpack Buddies, launched in 2003, provides a backpack filled with nutritious, child-friendly food for schoolchildren and their siblings to take home over the weekend. When that program is not available over the weekend, many children simply go without food.The program initially served children in the St. Joseph School District, but has expanded to Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Clinton, DeKalb, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Nodaway and Worth counties in Missouri and Atchison, Brown, Doniphan and Leavenworth Counties in Kansas.
Over 2,500 children in 15 counties in over 50 schools, Head Start or after-school programs are signed up for the program for the 2011-2012 school year.
It only costs $140 to sponsor a child for an entire school year. Click here to donate.
Backpack Buddies is made possible through partnerships with the following agencies:
Kansas
- Atchison
- Atchison Elementary School
- Brown
- NEK-CAP
- Hiawatha Elementary School
- Kickapoo Nation School
- Kickapoo Head Start
- Horton USD 430
- Doniphan
- Doniphan West Primary School
- Doniphan West Elementary School
- Leavenworth County
- NEK-CAP
- Lansing Education Association
- Leavenworth Clergy Association
- Leavenworth School District
- Basehor Linwood Assistance Center
Missouri
- Andrew
- Andrew County Ministries
- Atchison
- Fairfax United Methodist Church
- Buchanan
- St. Joseph School District
- Mid-Buchanan School District
- United Way of Greater St. Joseph's HELP Fund
- Rushville Christian Church
- Clinton
- Plattsburg Food Pantry
- DeKalb
- Maysville R-1
- Osborn School
- Grundy
- Community Food Pantry
- Harrison
- Harrison County Food Pantry
- Holt
- Kiwanis
- Livingston
- Life Center Food Pantry
- Grand River Area YMCA
- Nodaway
- Community Services, Inc.
- Maryville Ministry Center
- Worth
- Community Services of Worth County
*If you prefer to donate by check, please mail it to:
Second Harvest Community Food Bank
915 Douglas Street, St. Joseph, MO 64505
Please mark Backpack Buddies and the county you would like to designate in the memo line.
*A special thanks to United Way of Greater St. Joseph's H.E.L.P. Fund for supporting over 60 children in St. Joseph.
