Backpack Program Brings Food to Local Families

What started three months ago as a Northern Illinois Food Bank program to help feed local families in financial crisis at has grown into a much larger program serving 11 schools in the Valley View School District.

Funded by the Will County Community Foundation and private donors, the food bank program provides 250 backpacks full of food to VVSD children every week. Among donors is Dominion Generation, whose representatives stopped by R.C. Hill Feb. 18 to see an example of how their donation is being used.

R.C. Hill got the ball rolling back in November when, according to Principal Paula Bowling, Hill parents Bob and Micaela Boness came to her wanting to do something to help their neighbors.

“This was started because parents in the community cared,” Bowling said.

Every week the food bank drops of mostly non-perishable foods at the school, Bob Boness packs the food in backpacks provided by the food bank and 20 children take them home on Friday. On Monday, the children bring the empty backpacks back to school.

In many cases, the same families receive food each weekend. But in some cases, backpacks are available for short-term emergency situations as well.

The Northern Illinois Food Bank Backpack Program operates in seven counties serving some six dozen school districts.

Anyone wishing to donate funds to assist with the program is invited to contact Hester Bury at the food bank at 630-443-6910, Ext. 124.