BackPack Food Program Registration Form

BackPack Food Program  Frequently Asked Questions

What is the BackPack Food Program?
This is a pilot program being initiated by Feeding Our Communities Partners and the Greater Mankato Area United Way.  This program is focused on ensuring that students have nutritious food when school is out.

Who can participate in the BackPack Food Program?
This program is available to students in kindergarten through third grade at Franklin Elementary in Mankato, Minnesota.

How do I sign up?
To take advantage of this program please fill out the registration form and return to school.  Enrollment is ongoing and accepted anytime during the 2010 school year.

How does the BackPack Food Program work?
Breakfast, lunch and a snack will be provided to the participating students for each day of the weekend or school break.  The child friendly food will confidentially be placed in backpacks by school staff.  See the complete menu of foods being provided to students here.

Because this is a pilot program that we hope to implement more globally in the school district we will be researching the success of this initiative.  Sarah Sifers, Ph.D. from Minnesota State University, Mankato will be gauging whether parents/guardians and students like and benefit from the BackPack Food Program. She will be collecting surveys one time from kids, caregivers and teachers.  The survey process will be anonymous and take just five minutes to complete.  She will also be collecting anonymous surveys about hunger levels six times over the semester.

Questions?

If you have questions about the BackPack Food Program at Franklin Elementary, please contact Les Koppendrayer at 507-345-4287 or via email at  lkoppe1@isd77.k12.mn.us.

If you have questions about the BackPack Food Program please email info@feedingourcommunitiespartners.org.

If you have questions about the surveys being conducted, please contact Sarah Sifers at 507-389-5755 or email sarah.sifers@mnsu.edu.

If you wish to talk to someone about the rights of research participants, please contact Dr. Anne Blackhurst of the Institutional Review Board at Minnesota State University, Mankato at 507-389-2321 or anne.blackhurst@mnsu.edu.