Backpack Brigade’s mission is to partner with local communities to provide weekend hunger bags to school kids in need.  We ensure every child is fed all weekend long.

Studies show that those identified as homeless through the McKinney Vento Act (which defines as inadequate nighttime residence) and food insecure, are often only eating at school, with the Free and Reduced Lunch programs.  For them, Friday lunch to Monday breakfast, they potentially go without. We also find that this population is often left without an adult and can only access the food they have on hand, often times fending for themselves with nothing in the house.  Our bags have 3 breakfasts, 3 lunch, 3 dinners, and 3 snacks so that child can feed themselves all weekend long. 

We now serve over 5200 students a week, in 105 schools in 5 school districts in King Co. Washington State.  Each week, hundreds of volunteers’ pack and deliver weekend hunger bags to kids facing food insecurity. We now have 10 different menus to represent the religious, dietary, and cultural needs of students, with Kosher, Halal, Vegan, Gluten Free, Hispanic, and Asian as well as our Standard menus and now preschool packs. We also have a cold bag with perishable items to give more nutritionally dense items.   Powered by volunteers and strengthened