BACKPACK BUDDIES

A COMMUNITY PROGRAM

"BECAUSE HUNGER DOESN'T TAKE A BREAK ON THE WEEKENDS"

"Food insecurity and hunger damage the architecture of children's brains, and that makes it extremely difficult for them to ever reach their full potential as effective workers and members of society. American business leaders have the means and ingenuity to prevent this from happening. By doing that, and ending child food insecurity and hunger, they can ensure a prosperous future for us all."

Jack P. Shonkoff, MD, Harvard University School of Public Health

What is BackPack Buddies?

In Shelby County alone, there are over 14,000 public school children on the free meal program at their school but what happens over the weekends? During long holiday breaks and weekends, The BackPack Buddies Program helps meet the need by providing public school students with nutritious and easy-to-prepare food that they can take home when other resources aren’t always available. We also provide Family Emergency Food Boxes, Hygiene Bags, and many other important essentials.

BackPack Programs are facilitated all over the United States and we are so thankful to offer our own customized backpack program to the children of Shelby County. This is only possible due to the generous and caring sponsors, donors, and grantors that have selflessly invested money, time, and hard work to insure that every child has a chance to thrive and have a great future.

Who are the Buddies?

*Public school children ages 5-14, Some HS

*Free or Reduced Meal Recipients

*Homeless/Transitional Housing

*In Crisis/Trauma Situations

*Single Parent Home

What schools does BackPack Buddies service?

Alabaster City Schools

Pelham City Schools

Shelby County Schools

During summer-time, we also service children and families in Shelby & Jefferson County through summer camps and special family events.

When does BackPack Buddies take place?

The program feeds approximately 1,200+ students weekly from August through May of every school year. When school ends, the participants receive provision through the many summer feeding programs offered throughout Shelby County.

2023-2024 Packing Party Dates with Special Activities

Start time: 9am- 10:30am

2023

September 2nd: (Food Drive)

October 7th: (Hygiene Bags/Food Collection)

November 4th: (Christmas Stockings)

December 2nd: (Christmas Stockings)

2024

January 6th: (Chicken Noodle Soup Drive)

February 3rd: (Chicken Noodle Soup Drive/Valentine Bags)

March 2nd: (Easter Bags)

April 6th: (Hygiene Bags)

Non-Packing Day: Drop Off Only:

July 13th: Serve Day, 9am-Noon (Drop Off Food & School Supplies)

*Subject to Change

COMMUNITY PACKING PARTIES

A Community Packing Party is a monthly event that begins generally from September through April of each school year.

FAQ’S:

WHEN DO THE PACKING PARTIES OCCUR?

Parties take place every first Saturday of the month for the entire school year. We start at 9am and are finished around 10:30am.

WHERE DO THE PACKING PARTIES OCCUR?

Parties always take place at our agency office. Our address is:

Pelham Mall

2834 Pelham Parkway

Suite H & J

Pelham, Al. 35124

* If you need directions sent to you, please email: stephiegrissom0@gmail.com

WHAT HAPPENS AT A PACKING PARTY?

At every party, we pack what are called “Buddy Bags”, which are the food bags that we give to the public school children who are participants on the BackPack Buddies Program.

Often, we have additional supporting projects such as Hygiene Bags, Family Emergency Boxes, Christmas Stockings, School Supplies, and other Holiday Bag Support.

We also invite other area non-profits to come and showcase their great work and share our wonderful volunteers with them.

WHY DO YOU HAVE PACKING PARTIES?

Packing Parties allow the entire community to come together to help fight childhood food insecurity. It also helps us with the labor intensive work that is required to get all of the Buddy Bags packed and loaded onto our delivery van. From toddlers to special needs folks, all the way to seniors, there is place for anyone to come serve. We have numerous churches, civic groups, companies, and individuals that come to serve monthly.

WHO DO THE PACKING PARTIES BENEFIT?

Packing Parties benefit over 1,200 children that are fed on the program every single week. Our agency, along with our amazing sponsors, have packing parties all over the county to accomplish this rewarding but huge task at hand. We also believe that if children begin service at the earliest age that this creates a lifestyle of service to the community.

How does the food arrive to the Buddies?

Through either VFS or a Trained Sponsor of our program, each school receives a weekly delivery of Buddy Food Bags by no later than Thursday to the school counselor. School counselors make sure each Buddy receives their bag privately on Fridays for over the weekend. On long holiday breaks, Buddies receive extra food bags along with other needed essentials.

Thank you to

the Rotary Club of Alabaster-Pelham

for our Backpack Buddies Van Donation

How are they chosen to participate on the program?

Buddy participants are selected based solely on need by the school professionals at their respective school. This professional group involves the school counselors, teachers, principals, vice principals, and social county workers. Families cannot apply to be on the program but can make a request with the school counselor of their child’s school.

What criteria are used to assess the participant?

There are food insecurity indicators listed below for review. Along with these important factors, school counselors have a homeless/transitional housing roster throughout the year and are intimately aware of the many adverse home situations that arise with the students in their care.

Want to become a BackPack Buddies Sponsor?

Please contact Stephanie Grissom, Chief Operating Officer at 205-317-9897 or email: stephanie@vfsdads.com for further details. We provide a quick, easy training that allows your church, business, or group to make a meaningful investment into the community. It is a simple program that simply works.

Want to be a sponsor but you don’t have the time to do it?

You can still be a Recognized Sponsor by making the financial investment into one of our served schools and we will do the shopping, packing, and delivering.

2020-2021 School List In-Kind Donations/Grants &/or Sponsorship

1,200+ TOTAL BUDDIES SERVED WEEKLY IN SHELBY COUNTY
40 Schools: Alabaster City, Pelham City, and Shelby County Systems

CHILD FOOD INSECURITY IMPACTS EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND WORKFORCE

SEE HOW FOOD INSECURITY IMPACTS BUSINESSES

ALABAMA