Our Programs

Backpack Program

Hunger doesn’t take the weekend off, that's where organizations such as a local church, School PTA or Forsyth Backpack come in. A Backpack Program involves a three-way partnership between the school, a partner agency and the local food bank.

Various staff members at the school identify children in need of extra nutrition over the weekends and holidays. This process depends on the child, and can be as direct as them asking for food right as they enter class every morning to indirect as teachers or school staff noticing children who exhibit more nuanced physical and behavioral signs of food insecurity.

Forsyth Backpack Program is responsible for picking up and distributing the meals to the schools and providing volunteers when needed. Our partners at Second Harvest Food Bank provide regulatory oversight and are the hub for ordering the Backpack food items.

Shelf with jars of SunButter sunflower seed butter and canned goods in a grocery store.

School Pantries

A school food pantry is a food pantry located inside or close to a school. We understand the need is greater in some of our schools and as students age into middle and high school, backpack food kits may not be the right fit. We partner with schools to provide a pantry that eligible students and their families can access free food during the school year and summer.

A paper bag filled with various fruits including apples, oranges, lemons, a grapefruit, and pears.

Orange You Smart

We recognize that fresh produce is a part of a healthy diet. That’s why in several of our schools we supplement our backpack food with fresh fruit through our Orange You Smart Program. Typically, this fruit supplement consists of oranges and apples. Volunteers purchase and individually bag the fruit for each child, then take the fruit to the school. The fruit goes home with the child along with the backpack food.

Our Program Partners

School Pantry Partners

Southfork Elementary School
Cook Elementary School
Parkland High School
Early College of Forsyth County

Orange You Smart Partners

Forest Park Elementary

Kimberly Park Elementary
Cook Elementary
Gibson Elementary
Konnoak Elementary

Contact us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!