Oswego SD308 partnering with Northern Illinois Food Bank’s BackPack Program

Oswego SD308 will begin the 2023-24 school year in partnership with Northern Illinois Food Bank’s BackPack Program, according to a news release from the district.

The BackPack Program, offered through the NIFB Food Programs, is a no-cost program that offers identified families nonperishable food each week to help decrease hunger during the weekend.

“I am very excited to be able to be a part of this partnership and initiative with Northern Illinois Food Bank,” SD308 Family and Community Outreach Coordinator Michelle Earley said in the release. “This program helps to grow our outreach aimed at reducing hunger and food insecurity in our district. We will continue to host monthly distributions at the satellite location of the Kendall County Community Food Pantry, as well as Northern Illinois Food Bank Mobile Pantry distributions throughout the year.”

Starting Friday, Sept. 8, SD308 will begin a yearlong pilot of the BackPack program at Long Beach and Boulder Hill elementary schools. The schools were identified based on the percentage of families in their school’s population who qualify for free or reduced lunches.

On Friday afternoons, before dismissal, students will receive a discrete backpack of nonperishable food to help supplement their family’s weekend meals. The students will return the empty backpacks to their respective school on Mondays.

“We know the importance of essential needs being met, such as access to food, in order for students to be in a mental space in which they can learn,” Superintendent Andalib Khelghati said in the release. “Our impact reaches out beyond the classroom, and this new program is a great example.”

The program will be consistently collecting data during the year at both schools in hopes that after learning from the pilot, it can be increased to other elementary schools across the district.