Nonprofit Volunteer Program Honoree Weekend Backpacks (Baltimore City)

Weekend Backpacks’ mission is to provide nourishment to youth in Baltimore City in order to foster their academic success, and currently provides more than 20,000 meals a week to Baltimore City students and their families. Weekend Backpacks was selected for the Governor’s Service Award in the Nonprofit Volunteer Program category. 

Nearly one hundred volunteers served roughly 8 thousand hours to meet the needs of 1,700 families. Volunteers also distribute school supplies, hats, gloves, scarves and other items that will help support student success. Since March 16, Weekend Backpacks has delivered almost 500,000 meals, with an 80% increase in need since the start of the pandemic. 

“Our presence during the bag distribution has allowed us to see firsthand the enormous appreciation of the families. The Arlington School Community Coordinator told us that without Weekend Backpacks many of the families would have nothing to eat several days a month. While delivering bags to the John Ruhrah Elementary-Middle School in East Baltimore, a man walked up to our volunteer and thanked him with tears in his eyes. He had a child with him and told our volunteer that he had never missed a paycheck since he was 19 but that he was furloughed due to the pandemic. The man and his family were so thankful and he said he never wanted to hear any child cry because they were hungry.” -Nominator

Click for More: Baltimore Sun

Photos below were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic and not reflective of the current protocol.

Volunteers preparing Weekend Backpacks before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Volunteers packing Weekend Backpacks before the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers packing Weekend Backpacks before the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Volunteers distributing Weekend Backpacks before the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers distributing Weekend Backpacks before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Volunteers packing Weekend Backpacks before the COVID-19 pandemic.