Backpack Buddies (Vineyard Family Services of Central Alabama,Inc.)

Hunger doesn't take a break on the weekends...

BackPack Buddies Program is a simple program that simply works!  

With your help, we are able to provide food bags filled with meals, drinks, and snacks to public school children, who are "at-risk" for food insecurity.

The Buddies are children ages 4-17( and Aged Out Foster Young Adults), free or reduced meal participants, often from single parent homes, and many are facing homelessness or transitional housing. School counselors assess each student to insure they qualify to be a recipient for The BackPack Buddies Program. Over 900 children in 36 schools are now receiving much needed nutritional support!

Every Friday, Buddies receive their food bag privately from their school counselor for over the weekend.  During the long holiday breaks, we provide extra "Buddy Food Bags" and Family Emergency Food Boxes, along with other essentials, such as hygiene bags, school supplies, socks, and special holiday bags.

Through our fatherhood and motherhood parenting programs, mediation services, and co-parenting assistance in the family court, we are helping parents in crisis too! Healthy families make healthier communities!

Here are some statistics that YOU can help decrease:

*24 Million children are living without their biological father in the home

Supporting VFS, helps parents and kids stay connected!

* 1 in 5 children are experiencing under-nutrition

Supporting VFS, helps us feed children in need!

* Alabama ranks 7th worst for families with food insecurity

Supporting VFS, helps support families who face crisis through poverty or disaster relief!

*When the court decides, most families lose.

Supporting VFS, helps families that need support in crisis!

Thank you for considering BackPack Buddies in your giving today!

Ward, Stephanie, Charity, Michaela, Spurgeon, Derrick, Jerry, and Kaylee