Youth Backpack Program

On days when school is in session, children have access to the free and reduced lunch programs provided by the school system. However, on weekends food for these same children may be scarce. 

To help fill this void, GSFP partnered with Perdue Farms, Youth Bertie and the FBA to provide protein for this program.  

Backpacks are filled by the Youth Bertie program with nutritious, kid-friendly food that is distributed to children to take home on the weekend. This program is designed to ensure children that might go without have access to healthy food over the weekend.

Purdue Farms donated over 10,000 pounds of chicken to the Food Bank of Albemarle to be delivered to the GSFP for distribution to families in the Youth Bertie Program.  Families were provided vouchers from the program to redeem at GSFP for 10 lbs. of chicken each.  

During the months of March 2021 - May 2021 families received 30-50 lbs. of chicken in addition to each child's weekend meals.