Children’s Programs

Children who don’t get enough to eat have a harder time running and jumping and swinging. It’s harder to play pretend, and tough to sit still to read or do addition. It’s challenging to study for tests or concentrate on exams when their stomachs are empty. Through agency distributions, targeted child nutrition programs, and education programs, the Food Bank is working to reach every child in need with healthy and fun food options. 

The Food Bank’s teams go into communities to meet children where they already are with pantries at their schools, meals to take home on weekends and school breaks, hot foods at after-school care, and breakfast and lunch at summer camps. 

Every year, the Food Bank provides healthy food to children, so they are able to build the skills to be whatever they want to be in life.  

Little boy drinking milk from a carton next to a tall tower of lego bricks

Kids Summer Meals

Through a federal program called Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) the Food Bank supports partners operating Kids Summer Meals sites across our 34-count service area. These sites provide children with nutritious meals and programming during the summer when schools are closed.

Through partnership with community organizations, the Food Bank provides breakfast, lunch, and/or snacks in addition to supporting various enrichment activities for children such as exercise and summer reading programs. Kids Summer Meals sites are located at schools, churches, and youth centers. 

One program director, Delores, explains on our blog, “We know that for many of the children, this will be the only meal they have for the day.”

If you are interested in participating in the 2024 SFSP application process, please apply here.

A woman wraps her arm around her son standing in front of a line of people heading into a pantry

School Pantry Program

The School Pantry program provides families with an on-campus food pantry to help meet their nutritional needs during the school year. The Food Bank provides a family food box with essentials each month to help families prepare healthy meals and stretch those household budgets further. 

The School Pantry Program is a partnership with local schools that supports children and their families struggling with access to food to receive assistance on or near school grounds. Because they’re located in a familiar location, these pantries make pick-up easy for students and working parents. 

When they visit a school pantry, families receive enough food for about 15-20 meals with food items such as soup, brown rice, oatmeal, peanut butter, juice, canned vegetables, and fresh produce when available. They also receive nutrition education materials including healthy recipes and nutrition tips. 

Girl smiling holding her backpack straps

Weekend Power Pack

Through special backpacks filled with nutritious food, the Food Bank’s Weekend Power Pack Program supports nutritional needs of children who are facing hunger over the weekends. Common foods in a Weekend Power Pack include proteins, fruits, breakfast items, snacks, and beverages. 

The backpacks are assembled by volunteers and delivered to a school partner each week. Teachers and schools have reported improvements in test scores, positive behavioral gains, decrease in number of unexcused absences and an increased recognition of potential career paths. 

The Food Bank at Sandhills operates Back Pack Pals, a program similar to Weekend Power Packs. After being initiated by the Moore County School District, we kept the name when it operationally moved over to the Food Bank’s distribution center for packing and delivery services. We’re very thankful to the Sandhills community for ensuring the sustainability of this important program in Moore County. 

Kids Cafes

The Food Bank supports select Partner Agencies who host after-school Kids Cafes. All locations are geared towards academic enrichment, mentoring, nutrition education, nutritious meals, physical activities and parental empowerment for families facing hunger. Most Kids Cafe sites are supported by foundation grants or corporate partners, but some are operated through a federal program called Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).All sites provide a safe and enriching environment for children to gather after school. 

    For more information about Children’s Programs, please email kidsprograms@foodbankcenc.org.