D308 Partners With Northern Illinois Food Bank For Food Program

OSWEGO, IL — Families in need will have access to free meals thanks to a partnership between the Oswego Community Unit School District 308 and Northern Illinois Food Bank.

A year-long pilot of the BackPack program will begin Sept. 8 at Long Beach Elementary School and Boulder Hill Elementary School, which have been identified based on the percentage of families who qualify for free or reduced lunches within their school's population, officials said.

On Friday afternoons, ahead of dismissal, students will receive a discrete backpack with non-perishable food items to help supplement their families' weekend meals. The next Monday, students will return the backpack to be filled once again.

Staff will include additional items in the backpacks of children whose families have multiple children in other schools, officials said.

"We know the importance of essential needs being met, such as access to food, in order for students to be in a mental space in which they can learn," Superintendent Andalib Khelghati said in a statement. "Our impact reaches out beyond the classroom, and this new program is a great example."

Staff will be collecting data during the year at both schools "in hopes that after learning from the pilot, [the program] can be increased to other elementary schools across the district."

In Geneva-based Northern Illinois Food Bank's 13-county service area, one in 10 children faces hunger, according to District 308 officials. Through the BackPack program, the nonprofit identifies families in need as a way to help decrease hunger during the weekend.

"I am very excited to be able to be a part of this partnership and initiative with Northern Illinois Food Bank," Michelle Earley, the food bank's family and community outreach coordinator. "This program helps to grow our outreach aimed at reducing hunger and food insecurity in our district. We will continue to host monthly distributions at the satellite location of the Kendall County Community Food Pantry, as well as Northern Illinois Food Bank Mobile Pantry distributions throughout the year."