Snack Requests Triple from Schools and SROs
Backpack Society meets rising needs in DCSD, Littleton, and Englewood schools
In a typical week, Backpack Society in Highlands Ranch fulfills orders from local schools for about 2,000 snacks for students. Last week was not typical; snack requests tripled to 6,000. Backpack Society serves pre-K through 12th grade students, families, and staff at 72 schools across three school districts — Douglas County, Littleton, and Englewood.
Officer Scott Gillespie of the Castle Rock Police Department is the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Castleview High School in Castle Rock. His school just started partnering with Backpack Society this year. Prior to that he was — like most SROs — in trouble with his own family for spending part of the family food budget on snacks for the kids at his school.
The Power of the Snack
Gillespie says the power of the snack rests in Maslow’s Hierarchy: “Hunger is one of the most basic needs we have to meet before students can work on higher level issues like learning, planning, and problem solving.” He sees food as the bridge between him and kids who are struggling with physical and mental health, issues in school, or issues at home.
“If kids who are experiencing depression or frustration also don’t eat and hydrate, that creates a spiral that negatively affects their mental health,” Gillespie said, “and addressing their physical needs in a tangible way is a great first step in building the trust and rapport that will break them out of that downward spiral.”
With the help of Backpack Society, SROs and counselors at Castleview High School now keep snacks and drinks within easy reach on their desks, and the first questions they ask students are, “Are you hungry?” and, “When’s the last time you had some water?” Only then do they move on to other problems.
Emergency food boxes from Backpack Society take that same trust and rapport-building to the level of students’ families. Gillespie related the story of a family at his school who had their electricity cut off and no food in the house. When they came to the school, he had Backpack Society emergency food boxes to offer With that basic need met, the family could focus on longer-term solutions.
Backpack Society Founder and Executive Director June Everett says the organization has seen an across the board 50% increase year-over-year. In October, they experienced a 50% month-over-month increase in requests for assistance. In the first week of November, requests for student snacks tripled. Need is growing at an accelerating pace in the areas Backpack Society serves, particularly as our community experiences the effects the government shutdown — missed paychecks for laid off and furloughed government employees and the interruption of SNAP benefits.
Backpack Society Services
Snacks and emergency food boxes are important parts of Backpack Society’s impact, but their name comes from the Student Weekend Bags they distribute every school week to pre-K through 12th grade students. Sensitive to the stigma around hunger, the program packs enough food for six meals and snacks into a biodegradable plastic bag that can nestle inside a student’s regular backpack. Every Thursday or Friday, 400 students take home one of those bags of food for the weekend.
Student Weekend Bags are available to any school age child in DCSD, Littleton, or Englewood school districts - even those who are homeschooled. Most bags go home with kids from school, but homeschool students and those who don’t want to coordinate through the school can opt to pick up bags instead.
Getting help starts on Backpack Society’s website.
“Many families in our community live right on the edge, where one unexpected bill or lost paycheck can make it hard to put food on the table. We also know that asking for help can come with feelings of stigma or shame. That’s why our signup process is completely online, confidential, and judgment-free. We do ask that families have at least one school-aged child in the household, and we reserve the right to verify eligibility if needed. If you or your children need food—or if you’re a teacher or staff member supporting students—we’re here to help.”
June Everett, Founder and Executive Director of Backpack Society
A little over a year ago, Backpack Society expanded its space, creating an opportunity to offer food in a new way through their No Cost Market — a full-choice market where families and school staff can shop for non-perishables as well as dairy, eggs, meat, and fresh produce. Partnerships with local grocery stores help, and a new “Grow to Give” partnership with Douglas County Schools and Home Depot also brings excess produce directly from school community gardens to Backpack Society’s No Cost Market. Everett emphasizes the importance of choice, both to ensure families’ sense of dignity and to meet their individual food preferences and needs.
Get Involved
When asked how she would expand services, Everett replied, “We’d love to expand our partnerships with schools in Castle Rock. At this time, our biggest challenge is finding volunteers to help with deliveries. Schools that want to participate just need a volunteer willing to pick up each week from our location.”
Coincidentally, as Officer Gillespie answered questions for this story, he was unloading bags of food from Backpack Society at Castleview High School. If you or someone you know would like to help with Castle Rock deliveries — or volunteer in other ways — please reach out to Backpack Society.
Through a partnership with local schools, Backpack Society offers high school students three different ways to earn community service hours.
Food donations are always welcome, and Backpack Society provides a list of most-needed items. Through a partnership with Food Bank of the Rockies, the organization can stretch monetary donations farther than they will go at the grocery store to get more food for fewer dollars.
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This article is third in a series focused on community assistance organizations serving Douglas County. See previous stories here and here.
The Lantern is compiling a list of organizations that help with holiday gifts. If you know of a Douglas County holiday gift program, please email Kim with details and contact information.
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