HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — When students are out of school for the summer, those who rely on school meals may become higher risk to experience food insecurity over the summer.
"In the summertime, that's when they're missing most of their meals again, because school meals are not available," said June Everett, founder of the nonprofit Backpack Society.
▶️ WATCH: Denver's Danielle Kreutter talks with Backpack Society's founder about the need they're seeing this summer
That's where Backpack Society comes in. Denver7 visited the South Metro nonprofit working to put an end to childhood hunger and found the need is growing.
In addition to the market and weekly food distributions the nonprofit hosts every Thursday, they're also well known for their "Weekend Food Bags." Those are given to students during the school year and contain six meals and snacks for kids to have over the weekend.
"When schools are closed, how does a child get a weekend food bag?" Everett said.
This summer, Backpack Society expanded its reach and has partnered with libraries and recreation centers across the South Metro including:
- All Arapahoe County Public Libraries (excluding Sheridan)
- Highlands Ranch at the Eastridge and Westridge Recreation Centers
- Douglas County Locations
- East Community Center in Littleton
- Summer meals available at Field Elementary Cafeteria: July 7-23, Mon-Thurs, 8:15-8:45 a.m. or 10:15-11:15 a.m.
- Summer meals available at: Englewood Library: July 6-31, 11:30 a.m. to noon
- Summer meals available at: Belleview Park: July 6-31, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Backpack Society location in Highlands Ranch also distributes food Wednesdays between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or Thursdays 9 a.m. to noon.
The growing need is clear. Last year organizers handed out around 150 weekend food bags each week over the summer.
"We're over 500 bags [per week] right now this summer to all of the other partner locations," Everett said.
They are now running short on their summer food stock.
"We're looking for cans of Chef Boyardee, small cans of soup, mac and cheese, those things that are easy to prepare for a child if they're at home, and we're also asking for large boxes of cereal," Everett said.
While Denver7 was at Backpack Society, two recent high school graduates came in with bags of food to donate.
"Holy cow, this is awesome," Everett exclaimed.
Addyson Devlin and Laurel Henvest recently graduated from nearby Mountain Vista High School.
"We're both going off to college in the fall, and we love this community," said Henvest. "Obviously, it's a very well-off community. A lot of people live in abundance, but there's also a lot of people who are in need and food insecurity is a real thing."
The two took the nonprofit's shopping list to the grocery store that afternoon.
"We just got a bunch of graduation money, let's go help out in our community," said Devlin.
It's donations like those that Backpack Society is hoping the community can provide.
"You don't know who needs help," she said. "What we have found is, on paper, we see that there is a need — those people who might be on SNAP benefits or on the free or reduced lunch program, but we know that the need is much greater."
Whether it's food, money or volunteering time, any help will make a difference, Everett says.
"The community is stepping up and saying 'Yes, let's help you reach these kids,'" she said. "It just goes to show that it takes a village."
Click here to learn more about how to help keep kids fed in the South Metro over the summer.
