Founded in 2009 on the Key Peninsula, Food Backpacks 4 Kids (FB4K) is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit service organization consisting of a corps of concerned volunteers whose mission is to meet the nutritional needs of hungry children at times when other resources are not available.
FB4K works to meet the needs of food-insecure students, packing an average of 400 backpacks each week and distributing them to each of the 15 schools in the Peninsula School District. Its goal is to ensure hunger doesn’t keep any child from learning. Nationwide studies show that a hungry child is a distracted child, unable to learn, and often disruptive in the classroom.
In addition to providing food to hungry students, FB4K strives to provide enough food to offer supplemental nutrition to their families. Therefore, each backpack contains enough to provide basic meals for a family of four for the weekend. Supplementing the food needs for 1,600 individuals adds up to 192,678 meals provided every year.
Recently, FB4K has provided program families with Food Market vouchers. The value of the vouchers ranges from $5 to $25, as funding allows. The larger vouchers are distributed prior to holidays and extended school breaks. Vouchers are limited to the purchase of milk, meat and fresh produce.
The program can’t achieve this level of help for kids without a community of supporters. Small collection cans for donation of cash and checks are available throughout the community. Checks can also be mailed to P.O. Box 173, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. Credit card donations are accepted through Paypal. They are always eager to accept food donations. Please call the office at 253-857-7401 to arrange a pick up. For ways you can help this valuable program meet the needs of hungry kids, go to http://foodbackpacks4kids.org.
Summer Lunch Program
This is a free program. No registration is needed. Children of all ages and their parents are welcome!
Key Peninsula
June 25-August 17
Where: Key Peninsula Civic Center
Days: Monday and Wednesday
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Where: Key Center Library
Days: Tuesday and Friday
Time: noon
Where: Gateway Park and Home Park
Day: Friday
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Gig Harbor
June 26-August 2
Where: Peninsula Lutheran Church
Days: Tuesday & Thursday
Time: 11:30 a.m.