Souris Valley United Way/Backpack Buddies
Every Friday during the school year, hundreds of children across Minot head home with something small in their hands but powerful in its impact: a plastic bag filled with weekend meals. Inside are simple, easy to prepare items like mac and cheese, granola bars, oatmeal packets, tuna, and fruit cups. To an adult, it may look like a few groceries. To a child facing food insecurity, it means the difference between going hungry and having enough to get through the weekend.
This is the mission of Souris Valley United Way’s Backpack Buddies program: to make sure no child in our community goes hungry when school is not in session. The need is growing rapidly, and this school year is the largest expansion in the program’s history.
At the peak of last school year, Backpack Buddies fed 481 students every week. Already this year, that number has climbed to 560 students in Minot’s elementary schools alone. The program also stocks pantries serving approximately 50 students in two Minot middle schools, ensuring older students can discreetly access the food they need to get through the weekend. And, for the first time, Backpack Buddies expanded onto Minot Air Force Base, now serving children at Dakota and North Plains Elementary.
For many of these students, school meals are their most reliable source of nutrition. When the weekend arrives, food at home can be limited or unavailable due to a wide range of circumstances, whether it’s financial strain, unstable housing, or inconsistent family support. Backpack Buddies steps in to fill that gap so every child can start the week nourished and ready to learn.
The cost to provide these meal bags is surprisingly modest: $8 per week per student. Over the course of the 33 weekends in the school year, that adds up to only $264 to feed one child for an entire school year.
This is where the “Adopt a Backpack Buddy” opportunity becomes transformative. Community members, including families and personnel from Minot Air Force Base, can adopt a student for a year, sponsor a quarter, or contribute any amount to supports weekend meals. While the identities of students who receive Backpack Buddies is kept confidential, school staff often share that these bags relieve stress, build confidence, and give students a sense of security. Children frequently express excitement over the items they receive, or relief simply from knowing they won’t be hungry.
As the program grows to meet rising needs, so does the financial strain of keeping up with food costs. Bulk purchasing helps stretch every dollar, but feeding more than 600 students each week requires consistent, reliable community support. Donations allow Backpack Buddies to plan ahead, purchase food in large quantities, and respond quickly when schools identify new students who need help.
For readers who want to see the impact firsthand, Souris Valley United Way hosts community packing nights where volunteers help pack the weekend bags. These events offer a behind-the-scenes look at how much care and coordination goes into the program. The next community packing night will take place open house style on Tuesday, December 9th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Souris Valley United Way office. Families, groups, and individuals are welcome to attend. It’s a meaningful opportunity to learn about food insecurity in our area and see exactly how Backpack Buddies operates.
Backpack Buddies is more than a food program. It is a promise to children that their community sees them, cares about them, and believes they deserve to thrive. It is an investment in their physical health, their emotional well-being, and their success in school. And for families under stress, it is one less thing to worry about as they work to build stability at home.
To adopt a child, sponsor a week, or learn more about the program, visit SVUnitedWay.com. Your support ensures that every student, including those right here at Minot Air Force Base, has the nourishment they need to grow, learn, and dream.
