To help feed hungry and food-insecure children locally, the Food Bank for Westchester conducts the BackPack Program, a trademarked program of Feeding America. The BackPack Program is designed to help alleviate child hunger by providing hungry and at-risk children with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food at times when other resources are not available, such as during weekends and school vacations. Being very aware that children receiving BackPacks likely will share the food with siblings and other family members, care is taken to pack food items that can be easily shared and/or can contribute to a family meal.
Food Bank for Westchester currently conducts the BackPack Program at 39 sites, serving 2,194 children.
The response from parents of children receiving the BackPacks is very positive.
Comments from BackPack Parents
“We are thankful for the support of the program because it helps us to feed our children better."
"Helps us a lot…. We receive different kinds of food that we like at home and get new recipes that explain how to prepare food for the following day."
"I am grateful for the backpack program, and my children love the food—thanks.”
"The food bag has really helped me and my family make ends meet over the weekend."
“It helps my weekly budget.”
“Thank you for helping my family.”
Throughout the US, more than 145 Feeding America members and partner distribution organizations operate more than 3,600 BackPack Programs, collectively serving more than 190,000 children each year.
For information about the BackPack Program, contact Ferne Bordash, Manager, Food Bank Direct-Service Programs, at
(914) 909-9619 or ferne.bordash@foodbankforwestchester.org.
The Food Bank for Westchester conducts the BackPack Program at these sites every other week:
| GREENBURGH |
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| Greenburgh Central School District #7 |
50 Bags |
| Greenburgh Housing Recreation |
50 Bags |
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| LAKELAND SCHOOL DISTRICT |
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| Van Cortlandtville Elementary School, Mohegan Lake |
50 Bags |
| Lakeland School District BackPack bags also go to: |
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| Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Yorktown Heights |
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| George Washington Elementary School, Mohegan Lake |
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| Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School, Yorktown Heights |
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| Lakeland High School, Shrub Oak |
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| Lincoln Titus Elementary School, Cortlandt Manor |
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| Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Yorktown Heights |
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| MOUNT KISCO |
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| Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester |
80 Bags |
| Mount Kisco Child Care Center |
25 Bags |
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| MOUNT VERNON |
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| A.B. Davis Middle School |
50 Bags |
| Beulah SDA Church |
50 Bags |
| Cecil H. Parker Elementary School |
50 Bags |
| Edward Williams Elementary School |
50 Bags |
| Macedonia Baptist Church |
50 Bags |
| Peak Center, Westhab |
50 Bags |
| Sacred Heart FP BP |
50 Bags |
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| NEW ROCHELLE |
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| Shiloh Baptist Church |
60 Bags |
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| OSSINING |
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| IFCA |
40 Bags |
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| PEEKSKILL |
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| Hillcrest Elementary School |
50 Bags |
| Oakside Elementary School |
50 Bags |
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| PORT CHESTER |
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| Park Avenue Elementary School |
75 Bags |
| Port Chester HeadStart |
50 Bags |
| Salvation Army Port Chester |
50 Bags |
| Thomas A. Edison Elementary School |
50 Bags |
| |
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| TARRYTOWN |
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| RSHM Life Center |
50 Bags |
| Salvation Army Tarrytown |
50 Bags |
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| WHITE PLAINS |
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| FSW at Eastview Middle School |
50 Bags |
| Mamaroneck Ave. Elementary School |
50 Bags |
| Neighborhood Services |
50 Bags |
| Post Road Elementary School |
50 Bags |
| Ridgeway Elementary School |
80 Bags |
| White Plains Youth Bureau-Neighborhood Services |
50 Bags |
| This program also distributes BackPack bags to: |
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| DeKalb Avenue, Ferris Avenue, Saturday Academy, |
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| the Thomas H. Slater Center, and the Thomas H. |
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| Slater Center Teen Lounge |
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| YWCA of White Plains |
50 Bags |
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| YONKERS |
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| Cedar Place Elementary School |
70 Bags |
| Elm Street Youth Center |
50 Bags |
| Eugenio Maria de Hostos MicroSociety School |
50 Bags |
| Martin Luther King Jr. School |
50 Bags |
| Nepperhan Community Center |
70 Bags |
| St Peter’s Childcare |
100 Bags |
| Thomas Cornell Academy |
50 Bags |
| Yonkers CAP |
40 Bags |
| Yonkers Family YMCA |
40 Bags |
Thank you to ChopChop Magazine
Thank you to ChopChop, the fun cooking magazine for families, for their generous donation of over 2,000 copies of the magazine for distribution to Westchester children and their families though our BackPack program – bags of food for hungry children for the weekend -- www.chopchopmag.org.
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