(Wichita, Kan.) — Food for Kids is a local program providing meals and snacks for kids who may not otherwise have a stable source of food.
The program is sponsored by the Kansas Food Bank, Dillons, Fugate Enterprises and KWCH.
The Food for Kids backpack program puts together back-to-school backpacks with nutritious and kid-friendly ready-to-eat foods.
The backpacks are meant to provide weekend food and snacks for kids who rely on meals that are provided at school, and may not get regular meals at home during the weekends.
More than 6,000 kids received the backpacks on a weekly basis last spring, according to Larry Gunkel, the programs manager for the Kansas Food Bank.
More than 14 percent of the Kansas population is considered “food insecure,” meaning they may not know where their next meal will come from. In Sedgwick County, that rate is more than 15 percent, according to feedingamerica.org.
