MEALS FOR BACKPACKS PROGRAM
When students leave school for the weekend, the last thing they should have to worry about is having enough food to eat over the weekend. Research has shown that 1 in 6 Montana children live in homes that struggle to put food on the table.
Thanks to Montana School Districts, food banks, food pantries, and civic organizations, weekends are worry-free for many Montana children.
The concept is simple: children at risk of weekend hunger receive a bag of food that is child-friendly, nutritious, and non-perishable to ensure they get enough food on weekends and holidays to avoid hunger when they can’t depend on school meals.
Every “backpack” program is unique to the community and school it serves. Generally a “backpack” will include enough food to replace the meals that children would receive at school (e.g. two breakfast options, two lunch options, two snack options, a can of fruit, and a can of vegetables).
Federal reimbursement is not available for the food provided by backpack programs. Most Montana backpack programs are run through food banks, food pantries, schools and other civic organizations that are already providing emergency and supplemental food assistance for families in need. These groups are dependent on grants, donations and fundraisers to cover their costs.
By providing kids with the nutrients they need when they are away from school, they show up on Monday morning healthy and ready to learn.
Meals for Backpacks 2026 Stats
The last thing a child should have to worry about when the school bell rings on Friday afternoon, is what they are going to eat over the weekend. Food Banks, schools, governmental agencies, and service groups work to provide food that is discreetly placed in a child’s backpack to provide breakfast and lunch for Saturday and Sundays. This replaces the food that a child would normally receive at school.
In 2026, we awarded grants totaling over $968,000 to organizations across Montana. Over the past eleven years, the foundation has provided over $6 million is financial assistance for weekend meal programs.
Below are communities where grants were made:
2026 Meals For Backpacks Grants have been awarded to the organizations listed below:
Alberton • Alberton School District
Alberton • Alberton PTSA
Anaconda • Anaconda School District
Ashland • St. Labre Youth & Family Servoces
Baker • Baker Arts and Culture Council
Belt • Belt School District
Bigfork • Bigfork Rotary Foundation, Inc.
Billings • Coles Pantry
Billings • New Day Ranch
Billings • Friendship House of Christian Service
Billings • Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch
Billings • Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools
Billings • Friends of the Children - Eastern Montana
Billings • Billings Food Bank
Boulder • Jefferson High School FCCLA
Box Elder • Box Elder School
Bozeman • HRDC District IX
Bridger • Bridger School
Broadview • Broadview School District
Brockton • Brockton School District
Browning • Blackfeet Early Childhood Center
Browning • Browning Public Schools
Butte • Butte Emergency Food Bank
Butte • Butte Central Elementary School
Butte • Butte Central High School
Cascade • Cascade Community Food Bank
Chester • Chester-Joplin-Inverness Public Schools
Chinook • Meadowlark Elementary School
Choteau • Choteau School District
Colstrip • Colstrip Public Schools
Columbia Falls • Land to Hand MT
Columbus • Project Hope
Conrad • Pondera County Food Pantry
Corvallis • Corvallis Primary School
Crow Agency • Crow Agency Baptist Church
Cut Bank • Harvest Food Pantry of Cut Bank
Deer Lodge • Powell County High School
Dillon • Southwestern Montana Family YMCA
Divide • Divide Elementary School
Drummond • Drummond Schools
East Helena • East Helena Public Schools - Kerpa Closet
Ekalaka • Ekalaka Public School
Eureka • Eureka Public Schools
Florence • Florence Carlton School
Forsyth • Tongue River Emergency Shelter
Forsyth • Forsyth Schools
Fort Benton • GFWC Fort Benton Womens Club
Fort Benton • Fort Benton CIA
Fromberg • Fromberg FFA
Garrison • Garrison School District 20
Geyser • Judith Basin Operation Santa
Glasgow • Glasgow High School
Glendive • Glendive Schools
Glendive • Action for Eastern MT
Great Falls • Great Falls Community Food Bank
Great Falls • Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind
Great Falls • Alliance for Youth, Inc.
Hamilton • Hamilton School District
Harlowton • Harlowton Ministers Association
Hardin • Hardin School District 17H&1R
Harlem • Harlem Public Schools
Harrison • Harrison School District 23
Havre • Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line
Helena • Helena High School
Helena • Capital High School
Helena • Our Redeemers Lutheran Church
Kalispell • Kalispell Public Schools
Kalispell • Flathead School Snack Program
Kalispell • Flathead Food Bank
Lakeside • West Shore Community Assistance
Lame Deer • Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Cheyene Nation
Laurel • Laurel Public Schools
Laurel • Laurel Middle School
Laurel • Laurel High School
Laurel • Laurel Intermediate School
Lewistown • SMILES
Lewistown • Central Montana Head Start
Libby • Libby Food Pantry
Lockwood • Lockwood School District
Manhattan • Manhattan School District #3
Miles City • First United Methodist Church
Missoula • Hellgate High School
Missoula • Hellgate Elementary
Missoula • Missoula Food Bank
Philipsburg • Philipsburg Schools
Polson • Polson Loaves & Fishes
Power • Power School
Red Lodge • Boys and Girls Club
Rocky Boy • Rocky Boy Schools
Ronan • Ronan Bread Basket
Seeley Lake • Seeley-Swan High School
Shelby • Sagebrush Food Pantry
Shepherd • Shepherd High School FCCLA
Sidney • Boys & Girls Club of Richland County
St. Regis • St. Regis High School
Stevensville • Three Mile Community Senior Center
Stevensville • Stevensville Primary School
Stevensville • Stevi Food Program
Stevensville • Stevensville Middle School
Superior • Superior School District
Thompson Falls/Plains • Sanders County Public HD
Townsend • Townsend Schools
Troy • Morrison Backpacks
Victor • Victor Public School
Whitefish • Backpack Assistance Program
Wibaux • Wibaux Public Schools
Wolf Point • Wolf Point School District 45-45A
Wyola • Wyola Elementary School
Statewide • Montana Food Bank Network
