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Backpack Programs
Backpack programs are initiatives designed to provide food assistance to very low-income families, particularly children, who may face food insecurity over weekends or extended breaks from school. These programs typically involve distributing bags or backpacks filled with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food items to students regularly, such as at the end of the month or school week. The goal is to ensure that children have access to meals outside of school hours, helping to alleviate hunger and promote overall well-being. Backpack programs usually involve collaboration between schools and community organizations or food banks to identify eligible families and distribute food efficiently. Some school sites, such as those in Contra Costa and Solano Counties, send eligible students’ home on Fridays with two breakfasts, lunches and snacks.1 Others such as a program implemented within the School District of Philadelphia provide meal kits to feed four meals of up to six servings each.2 These programs play a vital role in addressing food insecurity among vulnerable populations and supporting children’s health and academic success across California.
Evidence for Use
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Research demonstrates that school backpack programs are effective are reaching high-need students, providing food to children who might otherwise go hungry over the weekend or school holidays.3, 4 Generally, parents report satisfaction with the programs and report that it helps them feel more connected to the school.4 It also indicated that students participating in backpack programs demonstrate improved self-esteem, positive behaviors at school, and show increases in academic performance in math and reading.4 A potentially lesser considered benefit found in one study, was the small, but significant reduction in absenteeism on Fridays among students participating in the backpack program.5 It should be noted that there are potential negative impacts from backpack programs, in particular the potential negative stigma for students and families participating in the program.6
Implementation
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Implementing a school backpack program to address food security requires careful planning and consideration. Starting with a small pilot program within a chosen school allows for cost measurement and capacity evaluation before expanding. The program can be made available to all children using an opt-in form at the beginning of the year or based on an identification or referral system. Factors like the program’s scope, the children’s needs, and logistical considerations should guide decision-making about who to serve and what to include in the backpacks. Budgeting is crucial to ensure sustainability and avoid over-commitment, with the cost per backpack typically ranging from $3-6, covering food and administrative costs, for every meal over the weekend. Logistics and integrity must be carefully managed to maintain the program’s effectiveness and the dignity of participating students. Establishing partnerships with local food banks and community organizations can leverage resources and expand the program’s reach. Marketing the program to potential donors and community members can garner support and facilitate expansion opportunities in the future as the program gains momentum and success.
Best Practices
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- Confidentiality is important to the success of backpack programs. Develop a procedure for delivering food to students in a way that would be unnoticed by their peers.
- Allow parents an easy way to opt out of the program.
- Provide foods that are quick and easy to prepare.
- Ensure foods distributed can be eaten as is, prepared with water, or send home all the necessary ingredients to prepare the food.
- Work to ensure foods sent home support diverse cultural and dietary needs of families.
Participating Schools
Backpack programs at schools and districts across California are supported by local food banks. Participating food banks include Central California, Imperial Valley, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Contra Costa and Solano County.
Citations
1. Klassen A. Fighting hunger after the bell. Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Website. https://www.foodbankccs.org/2022/09/fighting-hunger-after-the-bell/. Updated 2022. Accessed April 10, 2024.
2. Fornaro E, Bresnahan C, Hawes P, Cassar E. Implementation of school-based food backpack programs in Philadelphia, 2019-20. 2020.
3. Shanks CB, Harden S. A reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance evaluation of weekend backpack food assistance programs. American journal of health promotion. 2016;30(7):511-520. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.4278/ajhp.140116- QUAL-28. doi: 10.4278/ajhp.140116-QUAL-28.
4. Rodgers YV, Milewska M. Food assistance through the school system. Journal of children & poverty. 2007;13(1):75-95. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10796120601171385. doi: 10.1080/10796120601171385.
5. Fiese BH, Gundersen C, Koester B, Waxman E. School-based weekend feeding program: A comparison group design documents selection efficacy and appreciable effects on school attendance. Journal of hunger & environmental nutrition. 2020;15(2):220-229. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19320248.2019.1610538. doi: 10.1080/19320248.2019.1610538.
6. Fram MS, Frongillo EA. Backpack programs and the crisis narrative of child Hunger—A critical review of the rationale, targeting, and potential benefits and harms of an expanding but untested model of practice. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.). 2018;9(1):1-8. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmx008. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmx008.