As the new school year begins and children across Florence and Mapleton return to their classrooms with new pencils, notebooks, and backpacks, Food Backpack for Kids (FBFK) is also returning—with backpacks of a different kind. These backpacks are filled not with school supplies, but with nourishment, hope, and care for over 130 local children who face food insecurity each week.
A Fresh Start Fueled by Nutrition
For many children in our rural communities, the meals provided at school may be the only reliable nutrition they receive. But what happens when the school doors close each Friday afternoon? That’s the gap FBFK helps fill.
As students begin their new academic year full of potential and promise, FBFK is restarting its weekend Backpack Program, delivering food bags to students identified by local educators as needing extra support. Each bag contains easy-to-open, child-friendly, and nutritious food items designed to support a healthy diet and provide peace of mind for students and their families alike.
With every Friday distribution, FBFK helps ensure that when Monday morning comes around, students can return to school rested and ready to learn—not distracted by hunger.
Local Challenges. Local Solutions.
In rural western Lane County, families face unique challenges. Isolation, limited access to grocery stores or transportation, and seasonal employment all add to the burden. That’s why local programs like FBFK’s Backpack Program are crucial—they fill specific needs within the unique context of our community.
Throughout the school year, FBFK volunteers organize and distribute hundreds of meals monthly. These food bags are packed with intention and compassion, containing items not only nutritious but easy to prepare—perfect for children managing meals on their own over the weekend.
Tied to a Bigger Mission: Hunger Action Month
September holds a special significance, not just because school is back in session, but also because it is nationally recognized as Hunger Action Month. Led by Feeding America, this campaign seeks to raise awareness of and inspire action against hunger in America.
At FBFK, September is a time to refocus, reconnect, and reenergize our supporters around our mission. During Hunger Action Month, we highlight the very real issue of food insecurity right here in our community—and the power we all have to help address it.
Often, hunger can feel like an invisible problem. But in our school lunchrooms and neighborhood streets, the effects are visible: reduced concentration, behavioral struggles, attendance issues, and delayed academic achievement. By taking part in Hunger Action Month this September, we bring visibility to the problem and participation to the solution.
Community in Action
FBFK’s strength lies in the community. From the donors who give resources, to the volunteers who sort and pack the food bags, to the school staff identifying children in need—this program is a community-wide collaboration.
When schools, families, and volunteers work together, children win.
How YOU Can Help During Hunger Action Month
This September is the perfect time to take part in the fight against hunger through FBFK. Here’s how you can get involved:
🎒 Volunteer: Help sort, pack, or deliver food bags. We welcome individuals, families, and small groups to lend a hand. No experience necessary—just a big heart.
📢 Share Our Message: Raise awareness about childhood hunger in our area by following us on Facebook and Instagram (@FoodBackpackForKids). Share our stories, photos, and Hunger Action Month updates with your friends and neighbors. Every post brings awareness to someone new.
🧡 Wear Orange on September 15: Show your support for Hunger Action Month by wearing orange—the official color of the campaign. Take a photo, post it to social media, and tag us to show your support using hashtags like #HungerActionMonth and #FeedFlorenceKids.
💛 Donate as You’re Able: While we don’t assign a dollar amount to what each food bag costs, every donation—big or small—makes a difference. Your support helps us purchase nutritious food and sustain the Backpack Program throughout the school year.
Looking Forward with Compassion
As students hit the books this fall, we want their focus to be on learning, creating, and growing—not worrying about what’s (or isn’t) in their cabinets. That’s why FBFK’s Backpack Program exists. It’s not only about food; it’s about resilience, dignity, and hope.
Every food bag packed brings us closer to a world where no child in Florence, Mapleton, or surrounding areas has to experience the anxiety of hunger. Every community member who participates brings that vision closer to reality.
So as we return to school this September, let’s also recommit to nourishment, to kindness, and to community. Join us during Hunger Action Month to be part of the solution.
Because when we all give a little, we nourish a lot.
Together, we can make a lasting impact—one backpack at a time.