The Weekend Food Programs For Students began in 2018 in response to the growing number of students without enough food on weekends.

The first programs launched in Albany, Black Hawk, Juda, Monticello, and New Glarus. After their early success, Brodhead and Pecatonica joined in 2019. These grassroots programs are supported by community donors, grant funding, in-kind contributions from each school, and dedicated volunteers who are committed to ending weekend hunger.

Together, they provide students with nutritious food so they can return to school on Monday ready to learn. In 2025, the seven programs distributed 11,665 weekend food backpacks, the highest single-year total in program history. That total represents a 6% increase over the 11,002 students served in 2023, highlighting both the growing need in rural communities and the extraordinary commitment of those who respond to it week after week. Programs also issue snacks — both in the classroom and in the food backpacks. During 2025, there were 92,639 snacks issued by the seven programs, a record number, compared to 79,859 in 2024.

In rural Wisconsin, childhood food insecurity often goes unnoticed, hidden behind farmhouse walls and in small-town neighborhoods, but its impact is no less urgent. Families in local communities may face seasonal income changes, long drives to grocery stores, and fewer nearby social services than urban areas provide.

During the school week, breakfast and lunch programs provide an essential safety net for children who qualify. However, federal Free/Reduced Meal income eligibility is set far below what United Way’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) research shows families need to meet basic expenses in Green and Lafayette Counties. Weekend Food Programs For Students were created to close that gap. Each Friday, enrolled students discreetly receive a bag or backpack filled with easy‑to‑prepare, nutritious food. The programs are intentionally designed to be free from stigma, and the organization is proud that 100% of all donations go directly toward purchasing food — primarily through Second Harvest Food Bank in Madison.

Each weekend food backpack program is supported by a network of committed community partners.

“Our partnership with Second Harvest started when our programs began; Second Harvest not only provides us with affordable foods, but provides consultation, food credits to reduce our costs, and much more,” said Jeannie Blumer, Volunteer Coordinator, Weekend Food Program. “Our partnership with Sysco — through its relationship with Health Purchasing Systems, Inc. (HPSI) — helps reduce the cost of additional food we purchase. We also rely on strong partnerships with the School Districts of Albany, Black Hawk, Brodhead, Juda, Monticello, New Glarus, and Pecatonica.”

Each District contributes in‑kind support by identifying students, confidentially distributing weekend food packs, and providing climate‑controlled storage space.

“We also partner with Caring For Kids, Inc. (CFK), our 501(c)(3), who provides an in-kind contribution to the programs through financial record keeping, and we’re grateful for the support we have received from the United Way of Green County,” Blumer said. “Our final and indispensable partnership is with approximately 72 volunteers who donate their time, skills, transportation, and countless other forms of support. These programs demonstrate that when a community decides no child should go hungry over the weekend, that commitment is entirely achievable.”

Students in any of the seven participating districts may join our programs — no questions asked, and no shame attached.

“We are working to end weekend hunger — and we need your help to keep going,” Blumer said.