The Idaho Foodbank runs backpack and school food pantry programs aimed at making sure students in need have access to food.
BOISE, Idaho — As students in Idaho’s two largest school districts prepare to return to classrooms next week, The Idaho Foodbank is seeing a familiar surge in demand during back-to-school season.
The organization says about 16% of children across the state are considered food insecure – roughly 75,000 kids in Idaho. With added expenses from school supplies and activities stretching already tight budgets, many families are turning to food assistance programs.
“We know that the cost of living right now is pretty high here in the state, and we’re not seeing that decrease. We’re seeing families still struggling,” Idaho Foodbank Director of Programs and Partnerships Jana Wolf said. “Going back to school can be expensive for families…so having the backpack program and school pantry program may help alleviate this for families.”
The Idaho Food Bank is ramping up its school-based programs for the new academic year, including their backpack program, which now serves more than 200 schools across the state. The program provides students in need with meals to take home over the weekend, with food-filled backpacks discreetly placed in their bags each Friday.
The nonprofit also operates a school pantry program that allows parents and students to pick up food before or after school hours, removing barriers that might prevent families from seeking help at traditional food bank locations.
“In the state of Idaho, we have over 40 school pantries,” Wolf said. ‘These school pantries get the opportunity to provide nutritious, healthy foods to families and kiddos within those schools.”
Food bank leadership says having pantries in schools helps make food more accessible to children since schools are places they’re already comfortable being at. The programs serve a wide range of families from different backgrounds throughout the school year.
The Idaho Foodbank is currently raising money for their school programs and other resources ahead of the new academic year. The organization operates three branches statewide in Meridian, Lewiston and Pocatello – and partners with over 400 agencies to distribute food to neighbors in need.
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