September 4, 2015 – The new school year starts this month and our Campus Pantry and BackPack Programs will be there once again to meet the needs of New York City elementary, middle and high school students and their families. These innovative programs enable students and families in need to access emergency food right in their own schools, helping to make balanced, nutritious meals at home a reality.
Campus Pantry lets families “shop” for emergency food in a supermarket setting and it has been making a big impact at our partner schools in every borough, including I.S. 229X in the Bronx. Families there are grateful to have a place to turn for help in the neighborhood. “Because of the school pantry, I’m able to put food on the table when I’m struggling,” one parent told us. “It makes a real difference in my family’s life.”
Another way Food Bank taps schools to ensure that vulnerable children don’t go hungry is via our BackPack Program, which is designed to meet children’s needs on the weekend and during school vacations—times when school meals are not available. Students receive a bag filled with “kid-friendly” nutritious foods that are easy to use and prepare on their own. Research shows that even a short-term nutritional deficiency can impact a child’s ability to learn and focus during class. The backpacks of food help to ensure that students’ basic nutritional needs are met throughout the year, and when we hear from boys and girls who’ve participated in the program we know just how beneficial it is. As one student from P.S. 253Q in Queens put it: “Now I have enough food to eat.”