Since 2006, OFS has provided weekend meals to kids at risk of hunger to help bridge the gap when school meals are unavailable. Nutritious, shelf-stable food is packed in our warehouse and distributed to dozens of schools to be sent home in students’ backpacks. Last fiscal year, we distributed 542,000 meals through 355 schools in 15 counties. 

This year, a new pilot program is expanding our offering to include produce boxes for the whole family. “We asked schools if they had the capacity to distribute them and purchased the quantity that fit their needs,” explains Isabel Miller, child nutrition coordinator. “The response has been extremely positive. The families love the program and hope to receive more produce in the future.”

Participating schools have been setting up events to allow for parent pick up of the produce, which is sourced from longtime OFS partner Ole Tyme Produce, who delivers directly to schools. The 25-lb. boxes contain tomatoes, lettuce, oranges, apples and other fruits and vegetables. To date, the largest distribution event took place in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, which saw 450 boxes given to families. A representative from the district reported, “Our families were SO appreciative and excited to receive the produce boxes and food bags. The smiles and waves from parents/grandparents/guardians and students as they drove away with their items were heartwarming.”

950 boxes of produce have been distributed to multiple schools since the semester began. OFS will continue the program with additional schools in the fall in order to reach more school partners. “This pilot serves as a way to gauge interest and work out the logistics of distribution,” says Miller. “The hope is that we’ll be able to continue to fund and run this addition of the program so that more families can access fresh, healthy food.”

To learn more about Operation Backpack, please visit our website.