We End Hunger Through School Based Programs
We are working to care for the holistic needs of hungry students in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and beyond. We take a school by school approach and implement strategic, targeted services in elementary schools with significantly high free and reduced lunch rates. Some of these services include:
School-Based Mobile Pantry and Fun Zones
This program is designed to supplement our Backpack Program at higher poverty elementary schools in our region. To help ensure that our children have enough nutritious food to eat and come to school prepared to learn, this program provides on-site food shopping for low-income families. Each pantry provides staple goods, produce, meat, eggs, whole grain breads and essential non-food items like toilet paper and diapers, on average providing 40 to 50 pounds of food per family. The Food Bank will provide over 150 school-based mobiles this year. Some mobiles also include a Fun Zone. These Fun Zones bring in community partners that provide activities for the children while the parents shop. For more information about how you can help provide a school based mobile and/or Fun Zone or to volunteer with us, email Jess Hudson at jhudson@secondharvest.org or call us at 704-376-1785.
School Based Snack Programs
This program provides healthy snacks for children at low-income schools. Often these children arrive at school not having had breakfast, and these snacks help ensure they have the best chance of success in learning and breaking the cycle of poverty. To learn more about this program, please send us an email at jhudson@secondharvest.org or call us at 704-376-1785.
School Emergency Pantries
This program provides staple food items at high poverty schools which can be provided to families who are experiencing a food emergency. This ensures that children at the school do not miss meals that are essential to perform their best in class. To learn more, email us at jhudson@secondharvest.org or call us at 704-376-1785.
Backpack Program
The Backpack Program provides a backpack full of nutritious, ready to eat or easy to prepare foods that is sent home on weekends and holidays when school meals are not available. To learn how you can volunteer to pack backpacks, email us at jhudson@secondharvest.org or call us at 704-376-1785.
Sponsor A Child
This program pairs high-risk students with caring families or individuals in our community who provide much needed items to these students throughout the school year. Supporters of this program are provided with information from the school about the needs of a specific child, such as school supplies, uniforms, clothes, shoes and similar items. Supporters purchase and deliver these items to the school several times throughout the school year. For more information on how you can "Sponsor A Child," please contact Donna Ragan at dragan@secondharvest.org.