Luke’s Backpack provides food for children who have no or limited access to a food source during school weekends. School personnel identify students, who then receive a bag of food items to help sustain their nutritional needs throughout the weekend. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner items are included in each bag. Bags are distributed to students every Friday during the school year.
Who qualifies? Any student in Shenandoah County identified as food insecure by school personnel.
What help is provided? A weekend's worth of nutritional food.
How often? Weekly during the school year.
When and Where? Packed bags are delivered to school campuses for school personnel to distribute to students on Fridays.
Our Reach
We began in 2011 by helping fifteen children. During the 2023-2024 school year, our Luke's Backpack ministry distributed 8,723 bags of food to approximately 300 students each week. This amounts to more than 20,000 pounds of food and 52,338 meals.
Needs
We are always seeking:
- Non-perishable, individual serving size food donations
- Monetary donations, including food gift cards (and gas gift cards for our volunteers)
- Volunteers
Examples of what students receive:
- 100% fruit juice single serving
- Milk boxes single serving shelf-stable
- Instant Oatmeal single serving
- Cereal (whole grain) single serving
- Mac & Cheese 7.5 oz box
- Peanut Butter 16/18 oz
- Jelly 18/20 oz
- Chicken 5 oz cans/pouches
- Tuna 5 oz cans/pouches
- Canned soup
- Ramen Noodles
- Pasta 15 oz cans
- Fruit cups single serving
- Applesauce single serving
- Vegetables 15 oz cans (salt free best)
- Crackers (4 sleeves per box)
- Cereal Bars
- Granola Bars
- Microwave popcorn packs
Visit our Amazon Gift List to order online and have items sent directly to us.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are the backbone of our organization! We are always seeking help to:
- Collect food items
- Distribute bulk food items to packing locations (requires truck or vehicle with large cargo capacity)
- Pack items into weekend bags
- Deliver weekend bags to schools