People for People food backpack summer program

The People for People Backpack Program is a group of passionate volunteers that started a backpack program in our local schools. They are volunteer members and are a non-profit organization, operating under the Episcopal Churches 501(3) c. They fundraise, apply for grants, and receive donations to help pay for the food they provide to kids on the weekends. They started the backpack program in our schools in 2014 to feed our children that are going without the most basic need during the weekends: FOOD.

People for People Backpack Program is designed to feed school children whose families qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Meal program and have little or no food on the weekends.

Their goal is to stop hunger, create better test scores, improve reading skills, and positive behavior, improve health, and increase attendance. They have proven that there is a need for our program in our community. They are finding that to do this program, it will take about $100 dollars per student per school year. All funds go directly to the purchase of food. 

Everyone involved in this program is strictly a volunteer and is very passionate about feeding our children. They provide weekend meals in all grades, including Headstart alternative and home school. They usually prepare about 400 bags of food each month. The food bank delivers over 3,000 pounds of food to us each month. For the school year 2022-2023, they will prepare to send out 100 bags of food each week and will do summer delivery.

Every Friday during the school year, students receive their backpacks with staples that require little to no preparation. They return on Monday ready to learn. The Backpacks contain enough servings of easily prepared food to feed one child for the weekend.

The People for People Backpack Program is completely dependent on volunteers. They have volunteers unload the truck from the Wyoming Food Bank and from our local grocery stores, and pack bags. Volunteers pick up and deliver food to the schools every Friday. They have an incredible amount of community volunteers, ranging from 40 to 50 volunteers monthly. Their volunteer coordinators for their program are Judy Carswell, Ranae Baldes, Barb Rice, and Brittney Bowker, along with accountant Ron Philips.

The only way their program will survive is through donations, grants, and fundraisers.

People for People Backpack Program will be providing weekend bags of food throughout the summer. Pick-up starts Thursday, June 1. Available between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. every Thursday through August 17. The location will be 215 Springview Street. Drive-thru at Ralph Witters Elementary School for curbside pickup. If you have questions, contact Judy Carswell at 307-921-8264 or Barb Rice at 307-621-8540.