Program Description:

Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund grant funding supported the San Diego Food Bank’s Food 4 Kids Backpack Program (F4KBP), providing weekend backpacks filled with nutritious food for 83 North County elementary students experiencing food insecurity. The program helps children who rely on free or reduced-price school meals have enough to eat on weekends, improving their health, readiness to learn, and overall family stability.

Results:

The grant successfully met its goals by providing weekend food assistance to 83 local students. During the 2025–2026 school year, the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program distributed 392,327 pounds of food – more than 326,900 meals — to approximately 3,700 students countywide. In North County alone, 101,748 pounds of food were distributed. 

The Food Bank carefully tracks participation, food distribution, and school engagement through monthly reporting and collaboration with participating school districts. While slightly fewer pounds of food were distributed than the previous year, this reflected a shift to lighter, easier-to-carry food for younger students rather than reduced service.

The program remained on budget, with nearly all grant funds used to purchase nutritious food. The approximate annual cost per student was $300. School counselors reported that families rely on the weekly backpacks, and parents consistently expressed gratitude for the dependable support.

The program’s success is made possible through partnerships with 25 schools across seven North County school districts—Oceanside, Vista, Escondido, San Marcos, Vallecitos, Fallbrook, and Poway. School staff play a critical role by identifying students in need, enrolling families, and distributing backpacks each wee

Future Plans:

Despite rising food costs and growing demand, the San Diego Food Bank plans to increase program capacity from 3,700 to 4,000 students during the 2026–2027 school year. The organization will continue raising funds and building community partnerships to serve more children facing weekend hunger, while working to reduce the waiting list for participating schools.