ABOUT

 cropped-16-FPM-1032_SNACpack_logo.jpgCompany Overview

A young boy named Richard was the inspiration behind the SNACpack Program (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children). In elementary school, Richard was considered learning disabled, but the reality of the situation was that he was profoundly hungry. Richard often did not have dinner, and on many weekends he had almost no food. After taking notice of Richard’s situation, we realized that there are many children in the Saratoga Springs community who do not have enough food to sustain them over the weekend or during vacations from school. Thus, the SNACpack Program was created.

Every week since January 2015, approximately 10 volunteers have come together at St. Clement’s Church to pack approximately 140 backpacks full of child-friendly, nonperishable, easily consumed foods. A majority of the donations for the program come from individual donors, as well as from St. Clement’s Outreach Program, Christopher Dailey Foundation, Dorothy Nolan Home School Association, Kathleen and Charles Heidsieck, and the Patient Experience Project, who are kind enough to provide resources to support the SNACpack Program.  Our donations come from individuals and companies both small and large that realize the importance of this program.  Give Thanks!

Market Situation

In the year 2015, 17.4 million households struggled to put food on the table. Families in the Saratoga Springs School District were no exception. Approximately 619 children 5 to 17 years old lived in poverty, which, based on recent statistics, equals roughly 8% of children in the district.

While there are other food assistance programs available to families, such as The Franklin Community Center Food Pantry, none are like the SNACpack Program. Many food pantries require recipients to visit the pantry in order to pick up the food. For many families, this simply is not an option. In some cases, the food provided by the pantries is given to adults/parents, which can mean the children never even see the food. The SNACpack Program is unique because it provides backpacks full of food directly to the children. By making the backpacks directly accessible to the children, they can feel empowered and help contribute to their families. Most programs in the area stop after the hunger needs of the children are satisfied, but the SNACpack Program goes the extra mile to ensure that the well-being of the children is met each and every week.

Each bag includes…

  • 2 breakfast items (cereal, oatmeal packets, graham crackers, granola bars)
  • 3 entrées (mac & cheese, PB & J, Spaghetti Os, tuna, soup, etc.)
  • A loaf of bread
  • Milk card for a gallon of milk (when available)
  • 2 juice boxes (100% juice boxes)
  • Fresh fruits
  • Canned vegetables
  • 2 snacks (cookies, popcorn, pudding, etc.)

How you can help…

The SNACpack program is funded entirely by local donations.

  • 100% of donations go towards running the SNACpack program.
  • The average cost of one backpack full of food is $13.
  • The cost to sponsor a child for a full school year is $520.
  • Summer Program successfully kicked off in 2016!

Financial support can be sent to:

SNACpack Program
PO BOX 2452
Wilton, NY 12831

info@snacpackprogram.org

or Donate Online: