The signature program of the Hunger Coalition of the Lowcountry
WHAT IS BACKPACK BUDDIES?
Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head was designed to fight weekend hunger and has grown to help children in all public schools on Hilton Head Island. Elementary aged children at partner schools receive nutritious food each Friday during the school year. Children in middle and high school are offered snack packs during the school day whenever needed. Many of the children in our community rely on free or reduced cost meals they receive at school and food at home can be unreliable. Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head works to fill that gap by providing nutritious, child-friendly food for school children to take home over the weekend and older children to have during the week. They are 100% volunteer run by a multi-faith alliance of community volunteers who work together to address hunger issues in the Lowcountry. On any given day of the week area churches and synagogues are filled with volunteers packing food bags, writing grants, ordering food supplies, and organizing efforts to feed more children
What Do We Do?
Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head provides food to qualifying students at Hilton Head Island public schools free of charge. Food is distributed by school staff and faculty each week during the school year. Fresh produce bags are distributed to children in the tutoring program at Neighborhood Outreach Connection once a week.
During the summer months, healthy snacks and produce is supplied to programs like The Boys and Girls Club and Neighborhood Outreach Connection.
How It Works
- Food is ordered in bulk
- Volunteers assemble the student “packs” and deliver them in bins to the schools
- Elementary school social workers distribute the packs each Friday along with fresh fruit and vegetable
- Middle and High school students are offered grab-and-go snack bags at school by the nurse
- Local growers and markets supply the fresh produce that is packed and distributed to students in the Neighborhood Outreach Tutoring Program
How does St. Andrew By-The-Sea UMC Help?
St. Andrew is a Founding Partner Congregation providing a location for storing food, bag packing, and volunteers, as well as contributing financially to the program.
Backpack Buddies Sunday is coming August 25, 2024.
Volunteers are the heart and soul of Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head
Want to join the St. Andrew team? Contact Joe Kerr at jandskerr@gmail.com
Visit backpackbuddieshh.org for more information.