For children who rely on school meals during the week, weekends can bring an added challenge: knowing where their next meal will come from. Through its partnership with Feeding Dreams, United Way of Palm Beach County is helping bridge the weekend hunger gap by connecting local students with nutritious food through the Family Weekend Backpack Meal Program.
In October, volunteers came together at Roosevelt Elementary School to support the program, helping provide approximately 120 students with Power Packs filled with food to take home for the weekend. These meal packs help ensure children have access to nutritious food when school cafeterias are closed, supporting their health, learning, and overall well-being.
Food insecurity affects children in many ways, including their ability to concentrate, participate in school, and reach their full potential. While school meals provide important nutritional support during the week, some students may have limited access to food when school is not in session.
The Family Weekend Backpack Meal Program helps address this need by providing students with Power Packs containing food for the weekend. Through the partnership between United Way of Palm Beach County and Feeding Dreams, approximately 120 Roosevelt Elementary students receive additional food assistance to help support them and their families.
Every Power Pack represents more than a bag of food. It is an opportunity to ease a family’s food insecurity, support a child’s well-being, and help ensure students return to school ready to learn.
The need for volunteers continues, and United Way of Palm Beach County and Feeding Dreams are seeking additional community members to help deliver Weekend Backpacks to students at Roosevelt Elementary School every Friday through the end of the school year.
Volunteer opportunities begin at 9 a.m. on Friday mornings. Volunteers help deliver the backpacks directly to classrooms so students can take food home for the weekend. Approximately once a month, depending on delivery schedules, volunteers may also assist with sorting and preparing the meal packs.
You don’t have to commit to volunteering every week. Whether you can help once, volunteer occasionally, or return regularly, your time makes a difference in the lives of local children and families.
Volunteering is a meaningful way to support hunger relief efforts in Palm Beach County and help ensure local children have access to the food they need to grow and thrive.
By giving just two hours on a Friday morning, you can help put food on the table, ease the burden on families, and make a lasting difference for students in our community.
Interested in volunteering with the Family Weekend Backpack Meal Program?
Contact Tina Le at tina@feedingdreams.org or call 239-298-1620 to learn more and get involved.
Together, we can feed dreams, nourish futures, and help every child thrive!
