Feeding South Dakota’s BackPack Program
For: Douglas Elementary Families
Our public schools provide free or reduced meals to children at risk of hunger through the National School Lunch Program. If not for these meals, far too many school children would be trying to learn on an empty stomach, a situation in which very few can be successful. What happens to these children on the weekends when there is no school? That is where the “BackPack Program” comes in! This program is a joint venture between our school and Feeding South Dakota – the food bank in Rapid City.
This program provides these elementary children with nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods for the weekends until school and access to the meal programs resume. The food is packaged and distributed in non-descript sacks to carry home, freeing them of the stigma of poverty that many low-income children face among their peers. The schools were chosen to be the distribution sites because of their relationships with the students, the ease of access and safe environment they provide.
If you are interested in signing your student up for participation in the BackPack Program, please call Mrs. Cole at 923-0070 or stop in the main office at Francis Case and ask for a BackPack Program form.
The BackPack Program can always use volunteers and donations! This is an amazing program that does a lot of good for our students and communities. To learn more or to volunteer or donate, visit Feeding South Dakota and the BackPack Program here.