For many Portland children, the federally-sponsored school lunch is their main source for a nutritious, satisfying meal during the day. If there’s not enough food in the house, these children can go hungry on the weekend when the school lunch isn’t available.

Backpack Lunch volunteers pack two weekend lunches each Friday into the backpacks of Portland schoolchildren at risk of hunger on the weekend. We invite you to help us sustain and expand our ability to feed hungry schoolchildren in our midst.

Thank you to the Board of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods for accepting the King Backpack Program as a fiscally-sponsored project, and to the staff of the Coalition for their help in structuring the program successfully.

The Backpack Lunch Program is an all volunteer program — there are no paid staff. If you wish to make a monetary donation, make check out to NECN-KNA. Please write “Backpack Donation” on the check and mail to King NA, 4815 NE 7th Avenue, Portland, 97212. $100 sponsors a school-year of weekend lunches for one child. Each donation, regardless of amount, is important.