Since its inception in 2010, the Alliance Backpack Program has seen dedicated volunteers working together to enrich the lives of students in need by providing them adequate access to food.
Cheryl Harris saw the need to provide food for students while working at Alliance Public Schools.
“It came about because I worked for the Alliance Public School System for 30 some years,” said Harris. “I saw kids come at the beginning of the week with stomach aches and headaches, and had very little to eat. I heard about this program, and went to find out more about it, and that’s how it started.”
Harris said that the program has played a role in improving the lives of students who take part in it.
“When you read research, it shows that children’s learning is affected when they come to school hungry,” Harris said. “So, they have the free and reduced lunch program and breakfast program, and that’s through the school week that helps, but when they go home on Friday, they don’t have that support. We pack bags of food that will at least help through the weekend.”
School counselors recommend students for the program, Harris explained, and letters are sent to parents and guardians to sign to enroll in the program and to determine any food allergies. Harris said that there have been some changes since the Alliance Backpack Program formed, notably concerning milk.
“At the beginning, we used to send home a packet of powdered milk each week, and we found out a lot of it was getting thrown away,” said Harris. “In this letter, it also gives the parents the choice of yes, they want the powdered milk, or no, they don’t. Then, we also have a voucher that’s given out at the beginning of the week that’s for a gallon of fresh milk from Grocery Kart. So, the food that is packed into the bags is pretty child friendly. It’s non-perishable. Most of it is able to be eaten with little or no cooking.”
Harris said that there are approximately 10 to 12 items in each bag, which could include individual cereals, fruit cups, and noodles, among other things.
“There isn’t a lot that we can change each week, but we try to change it up a little bit,” Harris said.
Knowing the important role the program plays in the lives of local students helps limit the effects of burnout for volunteers, Harris explained. The number of students served by the program fluctuates, Harris noted, though it is often between 130 and 150 students who are in the program. The Alliance Backpack Program saw an increase in the number of students during the pandemic, with the number of students in the program reaching about 250.
“That’s a lot of people in a small town, and that’s not all of them,” said Harris. “Those are just the ones that are willing to be in the program. It is important that children are fed, that they don’t go hungry. It affects their health, it affects their learning, all different parts of their life.”
The program is funded by grants and donations, Harris explained, and there is always a need for volunteers to help pack the bags and to transport them to the schools.
“There’s a lot of people who do a lot of different things,” said Harris.
People may contact Harris to find out how they can help with the Alliance Backpack Program. People may reach her at 308-762-4346 or 308-760-7629.