The 4-H Backpack program was established fifteen years ago by McCracken County teenagers at a 4-H Issues Conference.  Teens were to take an issue that impacted our community and find a way to make a difference.  Many of our children in the City and County school systems are fortunate enough to have parents who are able to provide for them.  Unfortunately, there are many who do their best to make ends meet and still need additional help. With Covid-19 sweeping the world in unprecedented ways, the concern of food shortages and inability to work due to layoffs and shut downs has increased tenfold. 

The backpack program is for school aged youth who do not know where their next meal will come from. Teachers and Family Resource Center coordinators identify youth who fit this criteria.  Each Friday needy children are sent home with a back pack filled with food so that they will not go hungry. This year the program has grown and evolved to meet current community needs. Family Resource coordinators meet at the McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service each Monday and fill the food back packs with a variety of drinks and snacks that are easily consumed with minimal or no preparation.  We have had tremendous success, but demand for food is greater than the supply and money in donations.  Atmos Energy found out about our program and after inquiring about it, kindly donated $15,000 to help ensure no child in our community goes hungry this year. Our program begins in August and concludes at the end of May (school calendar.)  We supply over 430 backpacks to children weekly with food purchased from monetary contributions. 

Each bag, each week is also stuffed with SNAP-Ed related fliers, handouts and/or other materials. Due to the food shortages, we have had to evolve quickly this year and make substitutions every week of different foods. 100% of bags are taken home for weekend meals and we are still growing in number of youth we are serving.