AMARILLO, TEXAS -- It's a program that's keeping needy kids fed over the weekend here in the Panhandle, Snack Pak 4 Kids.
It started just a year and a half ago, and is now serving well over 2200 students.
"Hunger is to me is, I'm so tired when I don't get to eat. I take a bath and go to sleep. When the kids are eating and I think of food. I think that I was eating, and my tummy starts to make some noise"
Kids have written lots of letters like these. In this one, a boy is describing how hunger feels, because he has no food to eat on the weekend.
But thanks to Snack Pak 4 Kids, that's less of a problem.
The program started in September 2010 after a Bushland couple noticed Amarillo didn't have a weekend backpack program.
"When they're hungry they can't concentrate just like we do when we're hungry. It's hard to focus and we have kids in class who aren't able to pay attention because they're thinking about their stomach growling," said Elizabeth Melcher, Crestview Elementary Counselor.
Starting in a small church, the program is now located inside this almost 1500 square ft. warehouse, where volunteers pack 3800 bags every two weeks.
It's expanded to include River Road, Bushland, Amarillo, Fritch, Hereford, Walcott, and Tulia. It even inspired Canyon to create its own.
"Once our community is aware that this hunger really exist, I think for me I feel incredibly blessed and proud of our community in all the surrounding communities that have rallied around their children," said Dyron Howell, Snack Pak 4 Kids Founder.
There are plans for even more growth, too.
"We're working on a partnership with an organization that could dramatically expand this program to basically almost any community in the state of Texas. And that is something we're working on right now," said Howell.
Snack Pak 4 Kids is always looking for volunteers to put those bags together, as well as donations.
Head to www.snackpak4kids.org or www.canyonsnackpak.org for more information.
