Little Angels’ students, parents appreciate backpack meals

February 28, 2024

Little students at Rhonda’s Little Angels ECE Program in Seaford love getting their backpack – or weekend –meals each week, reports center director Rhondalin Cannon-Tingle. “My children and families enjoy the backpacks!”

Our Backpack Program provides weekend meals to 8,377 students statewide each week. To help raise money for the program, we will be participating in Delaware’s day of giving, Do More 24! This year’s Do More 24 runs from 6 p.m. March 7 through 6 p.m. March 8; our goal is to raise $37,000.

This special program touches children and families by discreetly providing food to at-risk children for weekends and holidays when school is not in session or federal school meal programs are not available. Backpacks are stocked with kid-friendly, nutritious food including shelf stable milk and juice, pop-top cans, macaroni and cheese, apple sauce, cereal and more.

Cannon-Tingle reports that the backpack meal kits are delivered on Tuesday, and the 28 students eagerly anticipate the distribution at the end of the week. “If they don’t know how to read anything else, they know how to read Food Bank on the boxes,” she said. She recently surveyed her parents committee to ascertain how the backpacks helped families. “They said they are very helpful; weekends can be hectic, and they are thankful. That’s from the horse’s mouth,” she said.

This veteran children’s advocate has been recognized for her professional commitment and accomplishments by the University of Delaware, Sussex County, and statewide childcare professional organizations. As an educator, she knows there’s more to the program. “They are learning independence, too. The parents love it because the kids learn how to fix their own meals,” she said.

Of course, the children love the healthy snacks packed into the meal bags, but they also like the spaghetti and meatballs, the ravioli, and the fruit cups.

Last year, our Do More 24 donors helped us raise more than $35,000 to support the program. This year, we hope to provide even more backpacks so no child in Delaware ever has to go hungry when school is not in session. Visit www.fbd.org to learn more about Do More 24 and our Backpack Program.