by Donna Randazzo

Students who rely on free or reduced-price school lunches can find themselves missing meals on the weekends, holidays and during summer vacation. As food insecurity continues to increase among families in the Lake Norman area, local nonprofits continue to help fill that need. Bags of Hope is one such group that helps students during the school year.

Beginning in 2013 as backpack ministries of Journey Church in Huntersville and Davidson United Methodist Church, Bags of Hope initially served 41 students at two schools. Bags of Hope has grown significantly over the past decade, becoming a nonprofit in 2017 after three backpack programs in local churches joined forces. 

The melding of efforts allowed for greater efficiency and reach, and further accelerated program growth. During the 2023-24 school year, 855 students were served with 24,713 food bags, resulting in 208,495 meals that otherwise may have been missed.

Children experiencing hunger due to inadequate nutrition may suffer from impaired concentration and learning, social and behavioral problems, and even threatened health and development. Weekend food bags help to alleviate the physical and cognitive implications resulting from food insecurity. 

Each and every weekend of the school year, at 33 local elementary, middle and high schools in the Lake Norman and greater Charlotte area, students were able to have those needs met thanks to the relief these food bags bring. Each bag contains child-friendly and easy-to-prepare foods, including three dinners, two breakfasts, two lunches, servings of fruits and vegetables, and at least five snacks. 

In addition to the weekends, Bags of Hope also provides larger bags of food over extended breaks from school, such as during Thanksgiving, winter break and spring break. These bigger bags contain 21 meals, several sides and snacks and a $20 grocery store gift card.

Bags of Hope works directly through the schools, relying on contacts – often guidance counselors or social workers – to identify students who may benefit from the program. Once a parent signs a permission form, students begin receiving a backpack of food each weekend of the school year. In many cases they serve multiple students in one household and are able to accommodate students with food allergies.

“The issue of food insecurity in our area is a chronic and ever-increasing need,” said Nicole Fiehler, Bags of Hope program coordinator. “Prior to COVID, Bags of Hope had served 375 students in 15 schools. By May of 2020, a couple of months after the world shut down from the pandemic, we were serving 661 students at 22 schools. As schools learned about Bags of Hope’s program as a potential resource for their struggling students, our organization was quickly being relied upon to reduce the issue of food insecurity in our community – and to be a beacon of hope for families overwhelmed during the pandemic.” 

Each week, 100-150 volunteers participate in packing events at their warehouse in Cornelius. After bags are packed, volunteer drivers pick up bags and deliver them to schools. 

Backpacks are kept at school and the packaged food bags are placed in backpacks each week for students to take home on Friday afternoon and return on Monday morning. The backpacks are not labeled with Bags of Hope or the students’ names, with the goal of keeping the process as discreet as possible.

“The program has helped us tremendously when it comes to snacks for the house,” a parent whose child attends Torrence Creek Elementary said. “With inflation raising the cost of food items, it’s been hard just to buy the bare minimum.”

Bags of Hope does not distribute weekend food bags during the summer since they work directly with schools. The summer will be spent gearing up for their biggest event of the year, the Back-to-School Food Drive on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. The goal is to collect 25,000-plus pounds of food to help restock their warehouse at the beginning of the school year.

Want to Help?

Prior to the school year, neighborhood ambassadors are needed to help distribute bags to neighborhoods or local businesses and pick them back up filled with donations. Drop-off will be at the Bags of Hope warehouse on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Businesses, sports teams and other groups can also be ambassadors. Email info@BagsofHopeLKN.com to become an ambassador.

Individuals, as well as group volunteers, are always in need during the school year. To volunteer with Bags of Hope in the upcoming 2024-25 school year, fill out the volunteer interest form at volunteer.BagsofHopeLKN.com. There are opportunities to pack weekend food bags, deliver bags to school, donate food items, sponsor a student for the school year and more.

To learn more, visit their website at BagsofHopeLKN.com.

Credit: https://www.lakenormanpublications.com/articles/local-nonprofit-tackles-food-insecurity-in-schools/