Backpack Program

The inspiration for this ministry came from one of our members who works in a local school and was heartbroken that kids she worked with didn’t have enough to eat while at home on weekends. Tragically, there are too many such children in our society today.

The Backpack program was started nationally to provide a food source for such children over the weekend when they are away from school. Harvest Texarkana is the local food source for these programs in Southwest Arkansas. Local Sponsors make donations so that specific schools are included in the Backpack program. Someone at the local school coordinates the distribution of the food by identifying kids in need and putting food in their backpacks for each weekend.

Schools within the Texarkana area have a large pool of sponsors who give funds to Harvest Texarkana so that their schools are included in this program. Schools outside Texarkana often lack sponsors. Christ Church donates funds each year so that both the Fouke and Genoa Elementary Schools are included in this program. These funds are raised by a variety of our church groups who sponsor events during each year. In 2022 our church gave $5530 to the school backpack food program

Additionally, one of our members, Emily Nash, is a kindergarten teacher at Genoa and coordinates that school’s Backpack program. If you would like to donate to the Backpack programs our church sponsors you may do so by contacting our secretary, Mary Jansen, at our church number (1-870-774-4091).