MERIDIAN, Idaho — In order to keep up with the growing number of West Ada students who are facing food insecurity, the Meridian Food Bank is expanding its pantry for the Backpack meal program.
“If we couldn’t build this, we’d have to start telling the school district that you’re cut off at this level, and we don’t want to do that,” said Kent Christensen, Meridian Food Bank Executive Director and Treasurer.
The Meridian Food Bank has outgrown their current space dedicated to packing meals for West Ada students in need.
WATCH | Plans to build a bigger space to serve hungry students are underway:
“It’s not big enough,” said Christensen. "We’ve more than doubled the amount of backpacks that we’re delivering to the school district in the last ten years."
So they’re building out, doubling their work space to meet the need.
At a ground breaking event Tuesday, city and community leaders came to support the food bank’s continuing efforts to feed hungry students.
The Grocery Outlet owners from the Ten Mile store in Meridian werealso in attendance; they have donated thousands of dollars to the pantry and help pack lunches for the program.
“This is the only way to continue the backpack program,” said Christensen.
During the school year, the Meridian Food Bank will pack 6 meals and two snacks for nearly a thousand students, ensuring they don’t go hungry during weekends.
In May, backpack program volunteer Jaydee Hanson told Idaho News 6 why he likes to give back.
“Whether it’s a bag of food or a hug, it’s so good being able to be part of a program that helps out the community,” said Hanson.
During construction, the volunteer-run food bank will continue backpack operations in another area of their facility, ensuring students who depend on the program will not go hungry.
If all goes to plan during construction, the Meridian Food Bank will finish the expansion in a few months.
