BackPack Kids

All proceeds of Jennie Carol's annual run go to support BackPack Kids. The BackPack Kids Program provides nutritional support to low-income elementary and primary school children over the weekend and during school holidays when they may otherwise go without a meal. 

Each backpack contains several pounds of healthful foods such as fruit cups, bread, milk, juice, crackers, beef stew and peanut butter.  BackPack Kids operates on a premise of anonymity -- the backpacks don't have any special logos that would cause the students to stand out. Usually, the children receive their backpacks in their classrooms on Fridays and are told not to open them until they reach home.

The program began after a boy passed out at school one Monday morning.  The principal found out the student had eaten nothing over the weekend but a hot dog without a bun.  Although schools provide meals during the week, teachers noticed some students hoarding food on Friday and coming to so school lethargic and hungry on Monday.  Some were going to the dumpsters.

BackPack Kids is a national program ran through food banks. Locally, it is ran through Community Friends Outreach, a food bank in the basement of Faith Temple Church in Danville.  Community Friends Outreach is an official non-profit organization. 

Funding for the BackPack Program has come from individuals, civic groups, churches and businesses.