Backpack Buddies Outreach

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About the Backpack Buddies Program

A surprising number of children in our community go hungry each week. The Backpack Buddies Program provides children at risk of going hungry with weekend meals and snacks during the school year, when school in not in session. The children receive a backpack containing six balanced meals and two healthy snacks at the end of every week. St. Anne’s parishioners have joined with other local churches and volunteers to bring the Backpack Buddies program to Annapolis Elementary School (AES). AES serves a significant number of students who rely on the school cafeteria to feed them breakfast and lunch every day. Many of these children have very little food once they leave school and often suffer hunger when school is not in session on weekends and holidays. AES identified a group of 47 students (30 families) who are most at risk for weekend hunger and, through the Backpack Buddies program, they now receive a backpack filled with food every weekend.

This program is an all-volunteer effort and there are several ways to get involved. First, you can pack backpacks. Each week, volunteers spend about an hour packing backpacks for the kids. Second, sponsors are needed for each child. The cost of sponsorship is $350 per child for the year and contributions are tax-deductible. You can choose to sponsor a child or give any amount you’d like. And finally, you can also be matched with a child (anonymously) and send that child notes and other small encouragements throughout the year so they know someone cares about them. If you’d like more information about this program or would like to be involved, please call Townsend McNitt at 410-267-0407.