Strengthening Children
Feeding the Future
Food insecurity negatively impacts the physical, emotional, and cognitive development of children. An estimated 1 in 5 children in Central Louisiana is in danger of having nothing to eat once they leave school each day. Our work ensures that children have access to nutritious meals and snacks outside of school so they are happy, thriving, and set up for success.
BackPack Program
The Food Bank’s BackPack Program is designed to meet the needs of hungry children at times when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations.
The backpacks are filled with nutritious, easy-to-open food that does not require stove-top cooking. Since the food is distributed in backpacks, the children can discreetly take the food home without being ridiculed or teased by other students. The children return the empty backpacks on Monday to have it refilled and redistributed for the next weekend.
If you represent a school or organization and you'd like to start a BackPack Program, CLICK HERE to fill out a program application.
Download tips on identifying chronically hungry children.
Amazing “thank you” drawings from children who received food from the backpack program!
Summer Meals for Kids
The Food Bank of Central Louisiana participates in the Summer Food Service Program.
The Summer Food Service Program, also known as the Summer Meals Program, was established by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. When school is out, SFSP provides free meals to kids and teens in low-income areas.
Meals will be provided to all eligible children without charge. Acceptance and participating requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
Afterschool Meals for Kids
The Food Bank works with local organizations (schools, community centers, camps and other childcare facilities) to provide free meals and healthy snacks when school meals are not available. This is part of the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
To find the closest Afterschool Meal site to you, Click Here.
Reach out for more information
Dial 211 for instant help finding a service or program here in central Louisiana. This information and referral service is a statewide network of call centers, trained and ready to help you connect to youth programs, counseling, disaster response, and more.