One in every four Stark County children is hungry or food insecure, meaning their families often struggle to put enough food on the table. Hunger, according to NoKidHungry, impacts children in the following ways:

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• Impairs their ability to concentrate and perform well in school

• Increases the likelihood of them becoming sick; they also recover from illness more slowly and are hospitalized more frequently

• Increases the likelihood of behavioral and emotional problems including aggression and anxiety

• Increases the likelihood of experiencing headaches, stomachaches, colds, and ear infections

• Puts them at a higher risk for classroom difficulties including low performance in math and reading, inattentiveness, and repeating a grade​

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Designed specifically to target childhood hunger, our Backpack for Kids Program supplies crucial weekend meals to 2,300 school-aged children every week in four local school districts and various local branches. Students at risk of weekend hunger receive a bag of food containing healthy, kid-friendly breakfast and lunch items and snacks to sustain them over the weekend.

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Children between the ages of 3-17 are eligible to receive Backpack bags. Bags will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis. The bags will contain 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 snacks. Please note these are not actual school backpacks. To enroll, please contact your child's school. Parents are encouraged to enroll early as backpack quantities are limited.