Weekend Backpacks

Through conversations with social workers at several area schools, a need was identified to provide at-risk children with weekend nutritional meals. While the schools ensure these children have a nutritional meal during the week through subsidized lunches, we wanted to do the same for the weekend.

In January 2008, we piloted the Backpack Program by partnering with Northern Illinois Food Bank, Grass Lake School and Northbridge Church. Today, these combined efforts ensure 41 children go home each weekend with three kid-friendly meals, three breakfasts and healthy snacks.

Northern Illinois Food Bank supplied the backpacks and Open Arms Mission and Northbridge Church volunteers do the shopping and assembly each week. Children are identified for the Backpack Program through their social workers and teachers.

You Can Help

Open Arms Mission is able to purchase reduced priced items to provide a backpack full of food for the weekend at a low monthly cost. Your donations can help us meet the nutritional obligations we have today for the children in our program and allow us to add another school to the program in the future. You can help by sponsoring a child for $15.00 (or $600 to cover the program for a month).

As a community, let’s be there for our children.