Send Hunger Packing - Backpack Drive 2017 August 9, 2017 @ 6:00 pm – August 20, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

August sends kids back to school, so it’s time for our annual Send Hunger Packing Backpack Drive!

Wednesday, August 9 – Sunday, September 3, 2017

The Lincoln Atheists Community Service Committee will be distributing backpacks to be filled with nonperishable food items and personal care items for the Lincoln Public Schools / Food Bank Backpack Program.

Food and personal care items will stock the LPS Emergency Pantry http://www.lincolnfoodbank.org/lps_pantry.php, and the backpacks will be used to help send a consistent supply of food for the weekend home on Fridays with over 3,500 LPS students.
Since last year’s drive, members and friends have donated over 60 backpacks, and the LA board purchased 2 dozen to supplement our efforts. Can we fill them all?

You can pick up an empty or return a full backpack at any of these upcoming meetups:
Wednesday, August 9 – Monthly Meetup at the Eatery
Sunday, August 13 – Coffee and Conversation
Thursday, August 17 – Bar Trivia
Friday, August 18 – Tabletop Gaming
Sunday, August 20 – Coffee and Conversation
Sunday, August 27 – Coffee and Conversation
Sunday, August 27 – Discussion Group with Thomas Gray and Clay Farris Naff
Saturday, September 2 – Tabletop Gaming
Sunday, September 3 – Coffee and Conversation

If you need a backpack picked up, let us know! Carra will also accept backpacks at 1300 Eastridge Dr. in Lincoln.
If you would like to purchase your own backpack, please do! (gender neutral colors, 2 straps and large enough to hold a full-size box of cereal).

Monetary donations can be accepted through Paypal http://lincolnatheists.org/ (Click Get Involved > Donate) and please note in the special instructions that it’s for the backpack drive. Cash donations given to members will be deposited and a check was written from LA to accompany the backpacks. The cost to sponsor one child for a week is $7.35, for a month is $29, for a semester is $125 or for one school year is $250.

Here are the items most in need for the Emergency Pantry:
Cereal
Boxed meals (mac and cheese, hamburger helper, tuna helper, etc)
Canned meats (chicken or tuna)
Canned fruit (low syrup or in 100% fruit juice)

The full wish list can be found here: http://www.lincolnfoodbank.org/most_needed.php, or for more information about the BackPack Program:http://www.lincolnfoodbank.org/backpack_program.php
We’ll be posting some incentives to bring full backpacks to events, so keep watching for those.
Thank you to all for helping us keep kids in our community fed so they can learn!