Food for Friends Backpack Program

The Food for Friends program was initiated in an attempt to ensure that students have adequate nutrition when away from school on weekends. While Jordan Elementary provides a nutritious lunch every day, and breakfast for some students, weekends are a difficult time for families struggling with finances.

Students whose families qualify for free and reduced lunch through the federally funded program, are eligible to particiapate in the Food for Friends.

Here is how the program works: On Thursday afternoons, volunteer JES staff members fill numerous backpacks with donated food such as granola bars, crackers, canned soup, fruit, pasta, and loaves of bread. When eligible students come to school Friday morning, they pick up their labeled backpacks and store them in their lockers for the day. When they leave school for the weekend, they take their backpacks with them. Empty backpacks are returned on Monday morning.

JES sends over 55 backpacks home each week. It is the hope of JES staff members that the students that benefit from this program come to school on Monday mornings with full stomachs and learning minds.

If you or someone you know is eligible for this program, please call the JES office at 952-492-2336 to request more information.