BackPack program gives students nutritious meals

“I came in April of 2006 and the board approved the program later that fall,” says Scheid. Her excitement and passion for the program grew quickly.

“When we learned that Sioux City’s participation in the free- and reduced-lunch program was greater than most, we knew we needed something to feed these kids when they weren’t in school,” says Scheid.

Now in her 11th year with the Food Bank, the executive director has seen the program grow. In 2006, the program started by providing weekly meal sacks to students from four area elementary schools.

In 2017, the Food Bank distributed 45,990 packs to eight elementary schools: Bryant, Hunt, Irving, Liberty, Loess Hills, Riverside, Unity and Lewis & Clark.

This year, South Sioux City’s Harney Elementary becomes the program’s ninth school. “With the addition of Harney, we anticipate adding 135 sacks per week,” Scheid says, making the weekly number of packs produced around 2,000. “We’re going to break all of our records this year.”

So how do these sacks get assembled? Each week, three groups of 12-15 volunteers assemble 600 sacks in what Scheid calls “an assembly line.” “Some volunteer groups like to chat and have a good time while they’re putting together their packs, others get right down to business. We encourage either and are always looking for great volunteers.”

Each easy-to-open pack contains eight items: two microwavable meals, two cereals, two milks, one fruit cup, and one 100 percent fruit juice box. The packs aren’t just designed to appeal to a child's taste buds: Scheid says the food items are chosen, not just for their nutrition, but also for their accessibility. “We love how empowering these foods are for kids. Each item is easy for a child to rip open and prepare on their own.”

The items are sealed into a clear sack and then tucked safely away into a blue tote bag. The Sioux City School District delivers the bags to each school on Thursday and places the totes with the students. “The program truly is a community effort,” Scheid says.

“People are passionate about feeding hungry children, but it is important to remember that even though things are better, they're not better for everyone."

Throughout the year, the Food Bank of Siouxland holds a variety of events that raise money to fund the backpack program and encourage people to support. Scheid estimates that the BackPack program: Food for Kids cost about $200,000 per year and is procured by gifts, grants and donations.

What can the public expect from the Food Bank in the coming school year? Currently it's working on setting up mobile food pantries that will feed  entire families. Scheid says this is a step in the right direction, but the Food Bank still receives calls every day about families needing food.

If you're interest in volunteering or donating to the Food Bank of Siouxland, visit siouxlandfoodbank.org.