The Snack Pack program works to ensure food-insecure early childhood, elementary and middle-school students throughout the district have enough to eat on the weekends. Volunteers assemble an average of 500 bags of food each week so kids can return to school fed and ready to learn.
How do children qualify for the program?
Families must complete a Snack Pack Application Form (available in the counselor's office at each elementary school), which includes the USDA Food Security Survey. Each application is scored, and the families who rate as food insecure receive Snack Packs for their children each Friday.
What goes in the Snack Packs and how much do they cost?
With the help of a nutritionist, the district food services department works hard to ensure Snack Pack foods are shelf stable, simple to prepare with or without adult assistance, and nutritionally substantive. Snack Pack menus change each week, and include a mix of the following items:
Shelf-stable white and chocolate milk, fruit snacks, instant oatmeal, granola bars, cereal bars, peanut butter, cheese crackers, beef sticks, fresh apples and oranges, peanut butter crackers, cans of soup and single-serve packets of cereal, mac & cheese and Ramen noodles.
Each Snack Pack costs about $4.00.
How can I get involved?
- Businesses or groups can collect monetary donations or specific Snack Pack foods to help fund the program.
- We can provide donation bins and marketing materials to encourage donations from your church, business or group. Donate directly to the Snack Pack program by mailing a check to Bright Futures Joplin, 825 S. Pearl, Joplin, MO 64801. Bright Futures Joplin is a nonprofit organization; donations are fully deductible.