Operation Family Pack

Brooke Weber, Community Programs Manager

(319) 235-0507 ext. 103

bweber@secondharvest.org

 

Operation Family Pack Mission:
To provide backpacks of kid-friendly food to needy kids

during periods of school breaks, including some weekends.



Operation Family Pack provides children with nutritious, kid-friendly foods such as cereal, canned pasta, Easy Mac, pop-top cans of soup, fruit cups and boxed drinks.  Backpacks are sent home with children on days when school is out for conferences, holidays or when the children get out early during the week.  Meal sacks are sent home in backpacks, either provided by the Food Bank or if a child prefers they can use their own. 


Site Locations:

There are nearly 2100 children receiving backpacks

each month through 48 sites


“A lot of times, the backpack gets us through the weekend”
~ stated one Operation Family Pack recipient




The Northeast Iowa Food Bank serves an estimated 14,635 children

on an annual basis in its 16 county service area

To address this situation, Operation Family Pack began on a limited basis in November, 2004 with 100 students in five Waterloo schools.  As the 2006-2007 school year began, Operation Family Pack was in 15 schools & two Kids Cafe sites, reaching a total of 500 students.  It is now growing faster than ever, thanks to Northeast Iowa communities coming together to support the program.

   

If interested in volunteering with this program contact:

Patrick Bird, Volunteer Coordinator

(319) 235-0507 ext. 118

pbird@secondharvest.org

For more photos on this program click here