Your Impact:

Ensuring consistent access to nutrition allows kids to come to school every Monday focused and ready to learn.

78% of kids fed by Blessings in a Backpack say they feel cared for by their community.

This season of love, we hope you feel as loved as Blessings kids feel each Friday afternoon when they receive their weekend food. We cannot thank you enough for the hunger-free weekends you have made possible.

None of the work we do would be possible without generous donors, volunteers, supporters, and staff!

Share the Love:

Did you know that volunteering as a couple can improve your relationship? Helping others releases the hormone oxytocin, the "love hormone," which bonds people closer. Plus, working together doubles your impact in the community!

Meet Jan and Rickey Davis, a dynamic husband and wife duo (pictured above). Jan and Rickey are long-time Blessings in a Backpack volunteers. In 2014, after hearing a story on the news about children living with food insecurity, they decided to do something about it.

Looking for ways to get involved with Blessings in a Backpack? 

 Click here to get started.

Upcoming Events:

April 5

Orlando, Florida

Golf Outing

April 5

Livonia, Michigan

Trivia Night

April 13

Frederick, Maryland

Race to Feed

April 18

Chicago

Race to Feed

May 3

Louisville, Kentucky

Unbridled Eve Gala

May 3

Port Jefferson, New York

Longwood Casino Night



May 31

Waukesha, Wisconsin

Kick Hunger to the Curb

March is National Nutrition Month, and did you know that at Blessings in a Backpack, we work with nutritionists to develop menus that provide the most “brain food” protein for the dollars spent? The food we give kids is shelf stable, easy to open, requires no preparation or access to appliances, and is kid-friendly and delicious! 

Establishing healthy eating behaviors in children is imperative as they tend to continue into their adult years. Blessings is aware of the importance of nutrition at every age and strive to find the best possible menu options for our children.

Calories

 It is essential to focus on the quality of calories consumed, prioritizing nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats.   School aged children should receive between 1,200-2,200 calories per day depending on growth and activity level.

Carbohydrates

Goldfish Crackers made with whole grains and our Kellogg’s and General Mills cereals made with whole grains are excellent sources of carbohydrates available to our programs.  School aged children should have 45-65% of total daily calories from carbohydrates.

Protein

Meat sticks from Jack Links, hummus, and chicken/tuna salad pouches are excellent sources of protein available to our programs.  School aged children should have 10-30% of total daily calories from protein.

Fat

 Sunflower seeds are a great source of healthy fats available to our programs.  School aged children should have 25-35% of total daily calories from fat.

Sodium

Low sodium soups and meat sticks are good sources of lower sodium choices that are available to our programs.  School aged children should limit sodium intake to less than 1200mg per day.

Sugar

Blessings has a contract through Sysco to offer lower sugar cereals from Kellogg’s and General Mills that are not available in retail.  School aged children should consume less than 30% of total daily calories from sugar and less than 10% of total daily calories from added sugar.

Reflects giving from December 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023

Anonymous Family Foundation

Blessings in a Backpack Fort Wayne

Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit

Glass Charitable Foundation

$75,000 to $99,000

Antares Capital

Clark Family Foundation, Inc.

First Foundation Bank

Hankin Family Charitable Foundation

Inspire Brands Foundation

June H. Jones Foundation

O'Donnell Landscapes, Inc.

$50,000 to $74,999

Bigger Table

Champions 4 Children, Inc.

City of Bonita Springs

Goldring Family Foundation

Insulated Roofing Contractors

Deborah Lindsay

Nemours Children’s Health

PriceWeber

United Way of Lee County

Wingstop Charities

Zurich American Insurance Company

$25,000 to $49,999 

ADP

Archer Daniels Midland Company

Bank Five Nine

Bellevue Heights United Methodist Church

Bridge Fund, Inc.

Brighter Days Foundation

Brown-Forman Foundation

Cafe of Life, Inc.

City of Rancho Cordova

CNY Community Foundation, Inc.

Connexus Credit Union

Cottage Bridge Foundation

Delaplaine Foundation, Inc.

DRI

Elite Island Resort

Epiroc

Father Fred Foundation

Scott Fischer Charities, Inc.

Fore!Kids Foundation, Inc.

Frederick County, Maryland Government

General Motors Foundation

William G. Gilmore Foundation

Gouge Quality Roofing, LLC

Jack in the Box Foundation

Jackson County Schneck Memorial Hospital Foundation

Ina Kay Foundation

Lee County BOCC

Leelanau Christian Neighbors, Inc.

Lockton Re, LLC

Trey Mancini Foundation, Inc.

Doug Meijer & Kendall Meijer Foundation

Meijer, Inc.

Mercy Works, Inc.

Molex, LLC

Name Bubbles

New Life Wesleyan Blessings

Northwestern University

Oosthuizen Family Foundation

Paylocity

Probability, LLC

Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation

Ruder Ware

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank

Perry and Ruby Stevens Charitable Foundation

Sysco Corporation

Taco Bell Foundation

Talk of the Town Restaurant Group Foundation, Inc.

Justin Thomas Foundation, Inc.

Tournament of Ages 2023

VITOL

Jocelyn H.K. Watkins

The Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida

Wildcat Run Charitable Foundation, Inc.

$15,000 to $24,999 

100 Women of the Hill Country, Inc.

A Recipe to End Hunger and Need, Inc.

American Association of School Administrators

Arthrex, Inc.

Bandujo Advertising & Design

Beaches Community Fund

Beardstown School District

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Bontrager Family Foundation

Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area

Broadmoor House, LLC

Brothers of Phi Gamma Delta of MIT

Cahill Homes

Chicago Sinai Congregation

Churchill Downs

City of Frederick

Collier Community Foundation

Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country

Community Foundation of Wabash County

Conagra Brands Foundation

DentaQuest

Ecolab

Stephanie and Keola Elobt

Exelixis

Fifth Third Bank 

First Business Bank

Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club

Gator Bowl Sports

Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Inc.

Lynne and Alfred Groff

Hames Corporation

Harbor Point Church

James Irsay

Jefferson County Board of Education

Kankakee School District 111

League Club, Inc.

LifeVantage Legacy, Inc.

Mallinger Family Foundation

Matan Companies, LLLP

Meadowview Presbyterian Church

New Spirit Lutheran Church, Inc.

ORIX Corp. USA

Parkview Health

Patricia J. Parsons

Teresa Pasquale

Pokagon Fund, Inc.

REACH Wisconsin

Nora Roberts Foundation

Shure, Inc.

Stellar MLS

Suncoast Credit Union Foundation

Threadneedle Curtis, Ltd.

TJX Foundation, Inc.

Trinity Episcopal Church

Unbridled Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Evelyn and Jim Unger

Union County Health Department

United Way of Huntington County

Universal Music Group

UPS-Jacksonville Employees

Vera Bradley Store

Judd Webster

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.

Wildly Fit, LLC

Fred B. And Opal S. Woosley Foundation

Wright Asphalt Products Company, LLC

YMCA of Frederick County

$10,000 to $14,999 

American Wheel & Tire #2, Ltd.

Androse Foundation

Anna Beavan

Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

Babcock Ranch Foundation

Terri and Fred Barthon

Bermont Excavating, LLC

Bowen Foundation Agency

Break Thru, Inc.

Reid R. Broda

Chapelwood United Methodist Church

William J. Clancy Foundation

Emory T. Clark Family Charitable Foundation

Virginia and Louis Colameco

ColorMasters, Inc.

Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley

CONRIC PR & Marketing

CoreGiving

Covenant United Methodist Church

Tim Cox

Patricia Crown Family

Olivia N. Curry

DARCARS Toyota of Frederick

Davies Molding, LLC

Michael S. Davis

Roy and Skeeter Davis Family Foundation

Nancy Delatush

Joe and Nancy DePippo

T.Disney Trucking & Grading. Inc.

Dolnick Family Fund

Dormie Network Foundation

EFS National Board Program

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

First Baptist Church of Syracuse

First United Methodist Church

Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

Good News in the Neighborhood

Grand Saline Chamber of Commerce

Greehey Family Foundation

Martin Halpern

Daniel R. and Anne M. Harper Foundation, Inc.

HMSHost Foundation

Horwood C. and Alene S. Jones Foundation

Howard Chapel Ridgeville United Methodist Church

Carol Ann Hunter

Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation

Christopher Jones

Rajah Karalakulasingam Family Foundation

Knox College

Kroger Co.

Barbara Kunci

Marie M. Lally

Robert P. Lapointe Memorial Fund

Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.

Lions of Virginia Foundation, Inc.

Local Impact Alliance

Mach 1 Stores

Manchester University

Markel Corporation

Massy Stores (USA) LLC

Maximus Foundation

Robert R. McCormick Foundation

McKnight Family Foundation

Don & Colletta McMillian Foundation

Douglas Meijer

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Gloria Milanowski

Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust

Motorsports Charities, Inc.

Mt. Tabor United Methodist Church

NT Manufacturing, LLC

NASCAR Foundation

Nymeo Federal Credit Union

Steven Painter

Peterson Family Foundation, Inc.

Melitta S. and Joan M. Pick Charitable Trust

Popeyes Foundation

Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Project Ready For School

Ramona and Dan Ustian

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Regions Bank

Rotary Club of Carroll Creek

Stephen Rubley

Service First Logistics, Inc.

Mary Sipe

Snelson Family Donor Advised Fund

SpartanNash Foundation

St. John's Cathedral

Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation

Stratton Mountain & Valley Community

Sysco Louisville, Inc.

Texas Capital Bank

Patrick and Janet Thompson Family Foundation

Thrivent

Train of Thought Project

Turn Key Events, LLC

United Baptist Church Of Scriba

United Way of Frederick County, Inc.

United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County

Valero Renewable Fuels Company, LLC

West Bay Community Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Yelenich Family Fund