Western Sugar South

Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming

Congratulations to the Weekend Backpack Food Program

Watch the short video to learn more about this amazing organization!

2024 Winner: Weekend Backpack Food Program

Scottsbluff and Gering Public Schools’ Weekend Backpack Food Program recently received $10,000 from ACH Seeds’ 2024 Homegrown Giving program, providing crucial support to help address food insecurity among students in the community.

For the past 12 years, the Weekend Backpack Food Program, which handles both the CatPacks and PupPacks, has been a lifeline for students in the Scottsbluff and Gering school districts. Established to address the food insecurity among students from pre-K through high school, the Weekend Backpack Food Program ensures children have access to food over the weekends when school meals are unavailable. What began with 30 backpacks has now expanded to support over 500 students weekly, equipping them with vital food items that enable them to return to school on Monday ready to learn and thrive.

ACH Seeds sales manager Ryan Reuter presents the check to Deb Schild, volunteer for the Weekend Backpack Food Program.

Volunteers help fill backpacks with a variety of nutritious food items, including fresh fruit, canned meals, cereal, instant oatmeal, juice, fruit cups and granola bars.

What began with 30 backpacks has now expanded to support over 500 students weekly, equipping them with vital food items that enable them to return to school on Monday ready to learn and thrive.

Hear from the Winner

Thanks to the Homegrown Giving program, we can now afford to include nutritious items like peanut butter, jelly and tuna in our packs. This funding enables us to buy these items for three months out of the school year to ensure students have a good source of protein in their meals.

Tracy Steele Program Coordinator for the Weekend Backpack Food Program