Supporting your Local Backpack Program
Students need access to nutritious food to help them succeed. It has been proven that children dealing with hunger or food insecurity are more likely to develop behavioral issues, or have trouble focusing on the subject at hand. To help address this issue schools can support their local food bank by volunteering to help assemble sacks for their backpack programs.
What is a Backpack Program:
Backpack programs provide students with nutritious food and snacks every Friday that they can take home, sustaining them over the weekend. All meals sent home with these students are assembled by volunteers through local food banks. All food provided by the program is free for children to take home. Backpack programs can have a positive impact on a student’s life, both by giving them the nutrients they need to grow and providing them a safe place to get the food.
How to Get Involved:
Below is a list of the local food banks in Iowa that cover all 99 counties. Schools can determine their local food bank by identifying their county below. Each food bank offers unique opportunities to involve your students. Please follow the directions accordingly.
Northeast Iowa Food Bank | www.northeastiowafoodbank.org
Counties served: Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Fayette, Floyd, Grundy, Howard, Mitchell, Poweshiek, Tama, Winneshiek
For more information:
Susan Kraus
Director of Network Relations
skraus@feedingamerica.org
319-235-0507
To participate:
Visit www.northeastiowafoodbank.org, click on "Backpack Program" under the "What We Do" tab. Scroll down to find more information under "Volunteer".
Food Bank of Siouxland | www.SiouxlandFoodBank.org
Counties served: Cherokee, Crawford, Ida, Lyon, Monona, Plymouth, Sioux, Woodbury
For more information:
Debbie Hubbard
Program and Administrative Coordinator
debbie@siouxlandfoodbank.org
712-255-9741
To participate:
Visit www.siouxlandfoodbank.org and click on “BackPack Program: Food for Kids” under “Programs and Partners” tab, and then go to “Volunteer Guidelines” to access the form needed to complete prior to volunteering.
HACAP Food Reservior | www.hacap.org
Counties served: Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Washington
For more information:
Hailey Carr
Operation Backpack
operationbackpack@hacap.org or hcarr@hacap.org
319-739-0593
To participate:
All volunteers can sign up at www.hacap.org where they can specify their skills and availability.
Food Bank for the Heartland | www.FoodBankHeartland.org
Counties Served: Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Shelby
For more information:
Sarah Comer
Assistant Director of Network Education and Compliance
SComer@FoodBankHeartland.org
402-905-4817
To participate:
Visit www.foodbankheartland.org and click on “Backpack Program” under the “Get Food” tab.
River Bend FoodBank | www.riverbendfoodbank.org
Counties served: Clinton, Dubuque, Jackson, Muscatine, Scott
For more information:
Diane Erickson
Programs Director
derickson@riverbendfoodbank.org
563-345-3490 ext 203
To participate:
Please visit www.riverbendfoodbank.org, click on “What We Do”, then go to “Backpack Program” under the “Programs” tab.
St. Stephen's FoodBank | www.ststephensfoodbank.org
Counties served: Dubuque, Jackson
For more information:
Kathy Hutton
Executive Director
kathy@ststephensfoodbank.org
563-557-7474
To participate:
Visit www.ststephensfoodbank.org, click on “Backpack Program” under the “Programs” tab.
Food Bank of Iowa | www.foodbankiowa.org
Contacts for counties served:
Region One:
Sonja Lesher | 515-867-2887 | slesher@foodbankiowa.org
Osceola, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, O’Brien, Clay, Palo Alto, Buena Vista, Pocahontas, Humboldt, Sac, Calhoun, Webster
Region Two:
Tami Nielsen | 515-867-2889 | tnielsen@foodbankiowa.org
Winnebago, Worth, Hancock, Cerro Gordo, Wright, Franklin, Hamilton, Hardin, Boone, Story
Region Three:
Abbi Neighbour | 515-867-2891 | anieghbour@foodbankiowa.org
Carroll, Greene, Audubon, Guthrie, Dallas, Adair, Madison, Adams, Union, Clarke, Lucas, Taylor, Ringgold, Decatur
Region Four:
Lexi Prigge | 515-867-2884| lprigge@foodbankiowa.org
Marshall, Polk, Jasper, Warren, Marion
Region Five:
Allison Koresh | 641-682-3403 | akoresh@foodbankiowa.org
Mahasha, Keokuk, Monroe, Wapello, Jefferson, Henry, Wayne, Appanoose, Davis, Van Buren, Lee, Des Moines, Louisa
To participate:
All volunteers can sign up at www.foodbankiowa.org/volunteer where they can specify their skills and availability.