Luther Elementary School works with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to provide the Backpack Program for our students.
Learning begins when hunger ends. One in four children in Oklahoma lives in households that are struggling to put food on the table.
Through the Backpack Program, which is part of the Food for Kids Programs, children receive a food sack full of kid-friendly, non-perishable and nutritious food on Friday to sustain them over weekends and school holidays.
Last year, the Regional Food Bank saw a dramatic increase in the need for food assistance. In total, the Backpack Program served 19,051 chronically hungry elementary school students attending 481 schools.
The Regional Food Bank delivers pre-assembled food sacks to participating schools at no cost to the school or the child. The food bags contain approximately 10 different purchased foods designed to provide nutrition and calories for chronically hungry children over the weekend.
The Regional Food Bank launched the Backpack Program in 2003 after learning about a student who passed out while waiting in the school lunch line because he had very little to eat at home over the weekend. The pilot program originally served 180 chronically hungry children in 5 Oklahoma City elementary schools.
More information can be found on the Regional Food Bank website.
If you know of a child that needs assistance, please contact Mrs. Taylor at (405)277-3545 ext 413 or ttaylor@lutherlions.org. To refer a Luther Elementary student to the Backpack Program, please complete the referral form.