Other Child Nutrition Programs

After School Program: California Community Child Nutrition Snack Pilot

• Now it is easier then ever for community based summer lunch sponsors to feed kids year round in a new federal pilot program called the Community Child Nutrition Snack Pilot.  Currently only available to California community based sponsors, the pilot greatly assists local programs operating on shoestring budgets to offer a year round feeding program for low-income children in their communities.   The federal reimbursement allows community based after school programs to maximize their resources and provide more balanced, healthy afternoon snacks.

• How it works is that qualified, existing summer lunch sponsors move seamlessly from serving summer lunch to serving after school snacks at eligible sites.   To enroll sponsors only need to fill out an amendment to their SFSP agreement, adjust their budget projections and fill out a site information sheet for each location serving snacks.
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• For more information, click here to go the Community Profile on Redwood Empire Food Bank.

The Weekend Backpack Program

• The Weekend Backpack Program is a simple and effective way for food banks and other community based organizations to bridge the gap in feeding children who participate in the National School Lunch program. 

• Funded through grants and private donations these programs provide a child-friendly, nutritious food package that goes home with the child for the weekend. The food package may be send home in donated backpacks or packages to go directly into the child’s own individual backpack.

• Families are notified by their school officials about the weekend food program.  The parents then sign up with the participating food bank or community organization to participate.