​LIFT will be starting a new backpack program at Lutz Elementary School in early September. This is an exciting chance to partner in the community and meet some real hunger needs—filling gaps for kids to eat on the weekends when there is no school lunch program. It involves sending a backpack home on weekends with some healthy snacks and food that kids can prepare on their own. School staff identifies students with food insecurity issues at home. We would provide backpacks
and food, assemble them and deliver them to the school. School staff would distribute them to students. This year
LIFT is moving away from our usual school supply collection in order to focus on this project. To help fund this project, we are seeking financial contributions and donations of kid-friendly food items in individual servings. Look for black baskets at LIFT congregations. Make checks out to LIFT, with Backpacks in the memo. To help streamline donations and insure appropriate items, we are encouraging different congregations to focus on specific products.
St. Mark & Faith: Breakfast
• Oatmeal packets
• Fruit bars
• Toaster pastries
• Individual cereals

Grace & Hayes: Lunch
• Individual mac & cheese
• Canned pasta
• Apple sauce
• Peanut butter
• Crackers in sleeves

St. John’s & Emmanuel: Snacks
• Granola bars
• Microwave popcorn
• Individual serving
crackers/cookies
• Fruit snacks