Food 4 Kids Backpack Program

The Food 4 Kids Backpack Program, established in 2006, provides weekend food packages to chronically hungry elementary school students from low-income households who are at risk of hunger over the weekend when free school meals are unavailable.

Every Friday afternoon students on the program are called out of class, often to the school nurse’s office, and discretely given a bag of food which is tucked into their backpacks. Each bag contains enough food to see the students through the weekend, and the discreet distributions remove the stigma that might be attached to the program.

How are children selected for the program?

School staff members identify students who display signs of chronic hunger. Warning signs include stomach aches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, hoarding food from the cafeteria, and absenteeism. Once a child has been identified as “chronically hungry,” a referral form is sent to the Food Bank and the student’s parents are sent a permission slip to enroll the student in the program.

What food items are included in the backpack?

Nutritious food items include:

– Milk
– Juice
– Soup
– Veggie chili
– Tuna salad
– Crackers
– Granola
– Mac & beef
– Instant soup
– Oatmeal
– Spaghetti
– Sauce
– Rice
– Canned chicken
– Fruit bars
– Pancake mix
– Fruit squeezers
– Graham crackers

Which schools are eligible to participate in the program?

Any San Diego County public school with 80% or more of the school’s student population participating in a free or subsidized school meal program can join the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program.

How can my school participate in the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program?

Establishing a new site is based upon availability and funding. If you are interested in having your elementary school participate in the Backpack Program, please submit an application to the Food Bank. Your application will be reviewed and placed on a waiting list. Admittance to the program is based on funding and the order in which applications are received.

If you have any questions, concerns or want to follow up on an application that has already been submitted, please contact David Perez at 858-863-5203 or at dperez@sandiegofoodbank.org.

How many schools are currently enrolled in the program?

76 San Diego County elementary schools in 19 school districts are currently enrolled in the program. The program currently feeds more than 3,282 students each week at the following schools:

School NameSchool District
America’s Finest Charter SchoolSan Diego Unified School District
Avondale ElementaryLa Mesa-Spring Valley School District
Balboa ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Borrego Springs ElementaryBorrego Springs Unified School District
Calvin J. Lauderbach ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Central ElementaryEscondido Union School District
Cesar Chavez ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Cherokee Point ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Chollas/Meade ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Del Rio ElementaryOceanside Unified School District
Edison ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Encanto ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Fallbrook STEM Academy ElementaryFallbrook Union Elementary School District
Farr Avenue ElementaryEscondido Union School District
Feaster Charter SchoolChula Vista Elementary School District
Felicita ElementaryEscondido Union School District
Field ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Foothill Oak ElementaryVista Unified School District
Franklin ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Fred H. Rohr ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Harborside ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Harriet Tubman Village CharterSan Diego Unified School District
Herbert Ibarra ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
John Adams ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
John Montgomery ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Joli Ann ElementarySan Marcos Unified School District
Joyner Elementary SchoolSan Diego Unified School District
Juarez-Lincoln ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Kimbrough ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Horton Elementary SchoolSan Diego Unified School District
King Chavez of ExcellenceSan Diego Unified School District
La Mirada AcademySan Marcos Unified School District
Laurel ElementaryOceanside Unified School District
Libby ElementaryOceanside Unified School District
Lillian J. Rice ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Logan Memorial Educational CampusSan Diego Unified School District
Los Penasquitos ElementaryPoway Unified School District
Maryland ElementaryVista Unified School District
Midland ElementaryPoway Unified School District
Mission ElementaryOceanside Unified School District
Oak Hill ElementaryEscondido Union School District
Oak Park Music ConservatorySan Diego Unified School District
Otay ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Palomar ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Perkins ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Pomerado ElementaryPoway Unified School District
Potrero ElementaryMountain Empire Unified School District
Riley ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
San Altos ElementaryLemon Grove School District
San Marcos ElementarySan Marcos Unified School District
San Miguel ElementaryLemon Grove School District
Sherman ElementarySan Diego Unified School District
Smythe ElementarySan Ysidro Elementary School District
Sunset ElementarySan Ysidro Elementary School District
Valencia ParkSan Diego Unified School District
Vallecitos ElementaryVallecitos School District
Valley ElementaryPoway Unified School District
Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)Vista Unified School District
Vista La Mesa ElementaryLemon Grove School District
Vista Square ElementaryChula Vista Elementary School District
Willow ElementarySan Ysidro Elementary School District

How much does it cost to feed a child for a year?

  • $300 = 1 school year (36 weekends)
  • $32 = 1 month (4 weekends)
  • $8 = 1 weekend

How can I help fund a child or school on the program?

Contact David Perez at 858-863-5203 or at dperez@sandiegofoodbank.org for information on ways you can support the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program.

See All Programs