SNACpack Program

A young boy named Richard was the inspiration behind the SNACpack Program (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children). In elementary school, Richard was considered learning disabled, but the reality of the situation was that he was profoundly hungry. Richard often did not have dinner, and on many weekends he had almost no food. After taking notice... of Richards situation, we realized that there are many children in the Saratoga Springs community who do not have enough food to sustain them over the weekend or during vacations from school. Thus, the SNACpack Program was created. Every week since January 2015, approximately 10 volunteers have come together at St. Clements Church to pack approximately 140 backpacks full of child-friendly, nonperishable, easily consumed foods. A majority of the donations for the program come from individual donors, as well as from St. Clements Outreach Program, Christopher Dailey Foundation, Dorothy Nolan Home School Association, Kathleen and Charles Heidsieck, and the Patient Experience Project, who are kind enough to provide resources to support the SNACpack Program. Our donations come from individuals and companies both small and large that realize the importance of this program. Give Thanks! In the year 2015, 17.4 million households struggled to put food on the table. Families in the Saratoga Springs School District were no exception. Approximately 619 children 5 to 17 years old lived in poverty, which, based on recent statistics, equals roughly 8% of children in the district. While there are other food assistance programs available to families, such as The Franklin Community Center Food Pantry, none are like the SNACpack Program. Many food pantries require recipients to visit the pantry in order to pick up the food. For many families, this simply is not an option. In some cases, the food provided by the pantries is given to adults/parents, which can mean the children never even see the food. The SNACpack Program is unique because it provides backpacks full of food directly to ...Read More