One Hunger-FreeWeekend at a Time

Let’s feedDreams

Together

www.blessingsinabackpack.org

Together, we will make these 17.5 million hunger-free weekends a reality for children.

Join us in feeding the future of America by:

» Donating today at blessingsinabackpack.org As little as $100 provides hunger-free weekends to a child for an entire school year..

» Volunteering with Blessings in a Backpack Visit blessingsinabackpack.org or contact volunteer@blessingsinabackpack.org to learn more about ways to volunteer.

» Spreading the word Tell others about childhood hunger and what Blessings in a Backpack is doing to fill the weekend gap for children living with food insecurity.

More Hunger-Free WeekendsAs a leader in the movement to alleviate childhood hunger, Blessings in a Backpack strives to ensure children do not go hungry on the weekends. By empowering individuals and communities to take action, we aim to make 17.5 million hunger-free weekends a reality for 500,000 children by 2020.

Blessings in a Backpack is in a period of exciting and ambitious growth.

To reach this 2020 hunger-free weekend goal, Blessings in a Backpack is focusing on the following areas of work:

» Recruiting volunteers and new schools » Growing volunteer support services » Implementing a chapter structure » Improving our use of technology » Expanding Blessings in a Backpack’s national presence

(312) 893-5509info@blessingsinabackpack.orgwww.blessingsinabackpack.org

500,000 children

17.5 Million hunger-free weekends

202078,000

children

2.8 Million hunger-free weekends

2015

Blessings in a Backpack mobilizes communities, individuals and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry.

Each Friday of the school year, thousands of volunteers come together to send home a bag of food with children who face hunger that weekend. During the current school year, 94,000 children facing food insecurity will experience more than 3.3 million hunger-free weekends, thanks to the efforts of these dedicated volunteers and Blessings in a Backpack.

Evaluation results show that Blessings in a Backpack not only helps ease hunger for children, but it also improves their learning, focus, peace of mind, school attendance and behavior.

This food from Blessings in a Backpack keeps hunger at bay until children return to school on Monday morning, nourished and ready to learn. But the impact goes beyond removing food insecurity. Student survey results show that children fed by Blessings in a Backpack experience the following positive results:

» 78% feel cared for by their community » 71% feel they are helping their family » 60% have fewer behavioral issues » 59% find it is easier to learn at school

Who Will Feed Them This Weekend?When school dismisses on Friday, 15.8 million children will leave their classroom, uncertain whether they will have enough food to eat that weekend.

One in five American children face food insecurity - more than the populations of New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago combined.

During the school week, most of these children depend on their school’s meal program, and that food is sometimes all they have for the day. When the school closes its doors on Friday afternoon, many of these children go home to empty cupboards and hunger for 65 hours until they return to school on Monday.

For a developing child, consistent nutrition is critical to leading a full, healthy life and succeeding at school. Food insecurity impacts children’s health, social development, cognitive growth and general well-being.

Inconsistent Nutrition Results In:Hospital VisitsBehavior IssuesAnxiety

Academic Achievement