A crowded assembly line formed in the convention center lobby at AASA’s national conference on Friday, consisting of 3rd graders, public school leaders and other assorted do-gooders, all working diligently side by side.
If you blinked, you might have missed it: Although the service project was slated for an hour, it only took about 30 minutes for volunteers to stuff 1,000 bags with non-perishable food items, including cereal boxes, granola bars and canned soup. While the event moved quickly, it could make a world of difference to the recipients — hungry students for whom a weekend away from school can mean two days of food insecurity.
The Blessings in a Backpack service project has become a staple at AASA national conferences, where attendees work together with volunteer spirit to assemble weekend meal kits for local students in need. This year, the association once again partnered with Sourcewell, AASA’s government cooperative procurement partner, to help combat childhood hunger.
“It’s always one of our most popular events,” said Greg Zylka, a board director with Sourcewell. “But I haven’t seen nearly as many people as today. This was awesome.”
All 1,000 kits assembled at Friday’s conference event will be donated to New Orleans elementary schools, where they will be distributed to students who qualify for free and reduced-cost lunch. For children who depend on their school cafeterias for daily nutrition, the project can help bridge the weekend gap.
In Louisiana, about 600,000 students rely on free or reduced-price meals, according to The Center Square. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that 14 million children nationwide faced hunger in 2023, with one in every five kids reporting uncertainty about their next meal. When looking specifically at New Orleans, the number of food-insecure children rises to one in four, according to No Kid Hungry Louisiana.
For some volunteers at the AASA conference, working with Blessings in a Backpack is a way to gain valuable perspective, while also giving back to the community.
Beth Sundstrom attended today’s conference with her husband Bryan Joffe, AASA’s director of childhood programs, and their 9-year-old twins, Byrdie and Millie. The 3rd-graders might have been the most enthusiastic volunteers at the event, entering the backpack assembly line nearly a dozen times.
“We’re going around as much as we can to help them get it done,” said Byrdie, adding that the family also makes meal kits at their home in South Carolina.
Sundstrom, a university educator, said the event was a great opportunity for her daughters to get involved in a community event, and that it was especially touching to see kids helping other kids.
“It’s also important for them to see how much privilege they have and how they can use it for good,” she said.
According to Blessings in a Backpack, the organization donated more than 3 million bags of ready-to-eat food to kids during the 2023-24 school year. Representatives for AASA say they plan to partner with the organization again at next year’s conference — but if you want to volunteer, you’d better show up early.
(Emily Topping, a freelance journalist in New Orleans, is a reporter with AASA’s Conference Daily Online.
