The Great Re-Pack

Overview:

The Kid's Corner Snack Packs program relaunches with the start of the new school year in September. Formerly known as Backpacks for Bend, this core Giving Plate program provides food to children that will last them through the weekend.

The Kid’s Corner Snack Packs program relaunches with the start of the new school year in September, said Ranae Staley, Executive Director at The Giving Plate. Formerly known as Backpacks for Bend, this core Giving Plate program provides food to children that will last them through the weekend.

Families are encouraged to shop the fresh foods found at Kid’s Corner. *Courtesy: Sarah Isak-Goode*

From backpacks to Snack Packs

Previously known as “Backpacks for Bend,” the program is now called “Kids Corner Snack Packs,” bringing it under the umbrella of the organization’s existing Kids Corner branding.

The rebranding addresses years of confusion among families who mistook the original name for a school supply program. The changes also reflect a complete strategic overhaul designed to eliminate service duplication and better target children most at risk of weekend hunger.

“We did a pause on it because we’re noticing a lot of duplication within the program with our other services,” said Staley. The organization discovered that many families receiving weekend food bags were already accessing The Giving Plate’s grocery program, creating an inequitable distribution of resources.

Quality over quantity

The numbers tell the story of this strategic shift. The program scaled back from serving more than 700 bags to just 47 kids during its spring soft launch. “A lot of these kids that were assumed to be kids at risk of weekend hunger are actually already getting services at The Giving Plate,” Staley said. This dramatic reduction allows the organization to focus on children who truly lack access to other food assistance programs. The Family Access Network advocates continue to identify eligible families, with volunteer delivery through partnerships including First Interstate Bank, ensuring bags reach schools for distribution.

“We anticipate that with the start of the new school year, enrollment will grow beyond 47 students, but we won’t know the final number until the school year is underway. With fewer students enrolled, we can explore adding more food or additional options to each bag,” says Kristin Swan, program manager at The Giving Plate.

Building bridges to long-term solutions

The long-term goal extends beyond weekend hunger relief. “Our goal is to get them here,” Staley said, referring to The Giving Plate’s Kids Corner market, where children can access fresh produce, milk, cheese and yogurt while gaining an empowering food selection experience.

Programs like this are becoming more important as federal funding is cut. In April, local organization NeighborImpact shared with the Source “that it served an average of 83,000 individuals per month in its most recent quarter – the highest number in the history of the food bank.” More recently, Gov. Tina Kotek announced in a press release that Oregon stands to lose approximately $15 billion in federal funding for health insurance coverage, food benefits and other programs under the budget reconciliation bill supported by the Trump Administration and approved by the Republican-controlled Congress.

The Giving Plate’s Snack Packs program now includes improved family outreach, with plans to connect directly with families and encourage visits to the main facility. New labeling will remind parents of additional resources available at The Giving Plate, creating a pathway from emergency weekend support to comprehensive family nutrition assistance.

As the program prepares for fall expansion, this strategic relaunch positions Kids Corner Snack Packs as both a safety net and a bridge to more substantial food security solutions.

Donations can be brought to The Giving Plate’s distribution center at 1212 NE 1st St. in Bend. Donations for Snack Packs need to be shelf-stable. “Typical items include oatmeal, ramen, peanut butter, granola bars, applesauce, sandwich crackers and fruit snacks. Because the food is packed two weeks at a time and may be stored in a child’s backpack for an undetermined time, we avoid fresh, perishable or puncture-prone items,” says Swan.