The BackPack Program assures that children are fed on weekends and school vacations.
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (October 23, 2015) — In an effort to assure that its neediest students don’t go hungry when they are away from school, the Mount Vernon City School District has teamed up with the Food Bank for Westchester to provide a BackPack Program. As its name implies, the program sends at-risk students home with a backpack, but the backpack is filled with food, not books.
“This program is part of Mt. Vernon City School District’s continuing effort to strengthen the home-to-school connection,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kenneth Hamilton. “We make sure our students get the nutritious lunches they need while they’re at school. This program enables us to make sure the neediest children are fed after they leave our care.”
The BackPack Program is designed to help alleviate child hunger by providing hungry and at-risk children with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food on weekends and school vacations. Each BackPack has 6 meals and includes; protein, milk, fruit, grain and vegetables. In the BackPack, there is also a recipe in English and Spanish. Being very aware that children receiving BackPacks likely will share the food with siblings and other family members, care is taken to pack food items that can be easily shared and/or can contribute to a family meal.
About Mount Vernon City School District
With more than 8,000 students in 16 schools, the Mount Vernon City School District is committed to providing a quality education to its children as well as developing programs that meet the diverse academic and social needs of its students.
