Powerpack

The Powerpack Program provides a weekend bag of breakfast items, individual meals and snacks for school age children (K-12) in all of the I.S.D. 12 schools.  Each school has their own policy of how the packs are delivered. The concept is the packs should be handed out confidentially such that the privacy of each student is respected. Additional food or bags are distributed for school holidays. This program runs during the school year from September to end of May. Please help support Powerpack. All donated money goes towards food for the packs for the children.

For the 2023/24 school year, 15,269 packs were distributed which comes to 392 per week.

Some testimonies from those receiving packs:

Testimony 1:

Dear Power Pack makers

As a single mom of three kids, I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to receive PowerPacks from each one of my children’s schools. I hit a low when I lost my job during COVID, since the pandemic my position that I was trained and grandfathered in, has changed to needing a degree. I don’t have the time nor the income to go to school full time. Not with 3 children. I know the bags of food might not be much, but to us, it’s 2 lunches and 2 days of snacks. Which on the weekends or schoolbreaks come so handy. I am not happy to have to ask for help and I know my kids are embarrassed to receive them, but we needed it, we still need it. I hope you understand the relief that you give us in those bags. Those bags of apple sauces, and ramen and popcorn, sometimes that is all that is in my cupboard. So, thank you for providing that for my children. I don’t want my children to know how much I struggle to provide, it’s embarrassing enough. Mxxxx drives my high school and my middle schoolers power packs to our house so that my kids also don’t feel that embarrassment and that little step goes so far and I appreciate her so much. I hope that someday I won’t need them, but for now, while I work 2 jobs, just know that these bags mean so much. Thank-you. Single mom of 3 children.

Testimony 2:

Powerpacks help me a lot on those days when my family can’t afford food. My dad has cancer, and we spend a lot of money on medical bills and so our budget on food is about $30. Powerpacks give me and other people food and hope, it shows that people are looking out for us. 

Testimony 3:

Powerpacks are so important and so needed. They save so much time in my house. There are times where we won’t have food or money. It’s really hard having to recover from money problems, and these powerpacks help so much. I would be so heartbroken if they were cancelled. I wouldn’t be able to have a good time on weekends because food is important, and everyone needs it. 

Testimony 4:

Powerpacks mean a lot to me. My family and I don’t have much money. So, when I get powerpacks we
get snacks. Good snacks and my family and I get to eat. I would be very disappointed if we weren’t able
to get the powerpacks anymore. They help my family and I by eating more amounts of food for a very
large family. I hope we get to keep getting powerpacks because they really do mean a lot to my family
and I. 

Testimony 5:

Power packs for us are needed, my mom works a lot, but can’t afford the extras. With the powerpacks I
know I will have snacks and lunch on the weekends. I like the Mac & Cheese. It helps a lot keeping me
full. Thank you! 

Testimony 6:
Powerpacks are very valuable and helpful because often times we have limited food and so having extra
food is very nice so that I can eat enough food throughout the day. I highly
recommend keeping them for the kids who genuinely need them. I would really appreciate it. Thank
you! 

Testimony 7:
Powerpacks have definitely changed my life, I am so glad to be a part of the program. Because when I
have no food at home, I can always go to my collection of ramen noodles and make a pack or 2, so I
won’t be hungry. I also really enjoy the healthy snacks they pack for us. As an athlete I really need that so
thank you so much and I also just feel like powerpacks are definitely needed because not everyone gets
fed at home properly so yeah, I love powerpacks.

Testimony 8:
I ́ve been getting power packs ever since elementary. I remember being so excited going to my
locker every week and seeing what snacks I got. Even in middle school I would go to my locker
looking forward to something to eat after school. Ever since becoming homeless, the power
packs have been a silver lining in all of it. It's been hard for me and my family to afford
groceries, or even dinner most days, so having something from the power pack really helps. Me
and my siblings would really appreciate it if we could continue having power packs in our lives.