WhytheAshevilleCitySchoolsDistrictNeedsaBackpackPalProgram

NatashaAthey,HunterCox,MaddieSiegel,AlexandraWolff
English2001
LeslieCook
Fall2014
CollaborativeProposal

Abstract:
IntheUnitedStatesofAmerica,thereare45.3millionpeopleinpoverty,or14.5%ofthe
U.S.population(UnitedStatesCensusBureau).IntheAshevilleCitySchoolsDistrict,42.42%
ofstudentsreceivefreeorreducedlunchfromtheirschoolduringtheweek(AshevilleCity
Schools).Thismeansthatinthisschooldistrict,povertyratesaremuchhigherthanthenational
averageinfact,thepovertyratesintheAshevilleCitySchoolsDistrictarehigherthanthe
povertyratesinNorthCarolina,17.9%(SpotlightonPoverty).Thesestudentsareprovided
balancedandnutritiousmealsfivedaysoutoftheweekhowever,thereisnobackpackprogram
toprovidenutritionalfoodforthesestudentsontheweekend.Receivingagranttostarta
program,BackpackBuddiesofAsheville,inwhichstudentsareprovidedfoodtotakehomeon
theweekendswouldensuretheyareeatinghealthymealsontheweekends,outsidetheschool
environment.
InorderfortheBackpackBuddiesofAshevilletobesuccessful,itneedstohave
adequatefundingandsupport.Thisbackpackprogramwillusemethodsthathaveproventobe
successful,suchassendingeasytoopencansofnonperishableitemswithstudentsonFriday
afternoonsmakingsuretobediscreetastonotcontributetoastigmaorpointingout
particularchildrenandusingcriteriathatincludesbothquantitativeandqualitativedata.We
expectthatbyusingthesemethods,thisbackpackprogramwillbeabletosendfoodhomefor
studentsthattrulyneedit,andthatstudentswillbeabletoopenthefoodthemselvesandnot
havetorelyonanadulttobearoundtohelpthem.BackpackBuddiesofAshevillewillbean
ongoingprogramthefundsthatwereceivefromthegrantwillhelptocoverstartupcostsas
wellasthefirstyearortwooftheimplementationofBackpackBuddiesofAsheville.The

budgetthatwehavedeterminedtobestfitourneedsisexplainedbelow,andthetotalcostofthe
programtostartitandcarryitthroughthefirstyearis$250,000.

Background/ExistingBaseofKnowledge:
AccordingtoaGalluppollfrom2011,19.4%ofAmericansansweredyestothequestion
Havetherebeentimesinthelasttwelvemonthswhenyoudidnothaveenoughmoneytobuy
foodthatyouoryourfamilyneeded?.IntheSoutheast,21.9%ofpeoplesaidthattheydidnt
haveenoughmoneytobuyfood.Peoplethatdonotalwayshaveenoughmoneytobuyfoodthat
theyneedaredescribedashavingFoodHardship.Outofthehundredhighestfoodhardshiprates
inthecountrysMetropolitanStatisticalAreas,sevenofthemarefromNorthCarolina(MSAs
areCensusBureaudefinedareasthatincludecentralcitiesplusthesurroundingcountieswith
strongeconomicandsocialtiestothecentralcities).Thethirdhighestfoodhardshiprateina
MetropolitanStatisticalAreaisAsheville,NorthCarolinaatarateof23.8%(FoodHardshipin
America2011).
Ashevilleisacitythatisdefinitelyinneedofassistancewithhunger.Thereisafood
bankinAshevillecalledMannafoodbankithasabackpackpalsprogram,butitisveryspread
out.Mannafoodbankservesmanyschoolsacrossawidespreadareaofsixteencountiesin
WesternNorthCarolinawithabackpackpalprogram(MANNAfoodbank).Wewouldliketo
beablenarrowthefocustoreacheveryAshevilleCitySchoolsstudentinneed.42.42%of
AshevilleCitySchoolsstudentsonfreeandreducedlunch.AshevilleCitySchoolshaseight
schools,allwithsomestudentswithneedofabackpackpalprogram.Thoseschoolsare

AshevilleHigh,HallFletcherElementary,IsaacDicksonElementary,ClaxtonElementary,IraB
JonesElementary,AshevilleMiddle,VanceElementary,andSchoolofInquiryandLife
Sciences.HallFletcherElementaryhasthegreatestneedforabackpackprogramwith70.85%
studentsonfreeandreducedlunchasofOctober31st2014(AshevilleCitySchools).
Hungeraffectsstudentsinmanyadverseways.AccordingtoFeedingAmerica,inthe
UnitedStatestoday,nearly16millionchildrenfacehunger.Consequently,oneinfivekidsare
facinggreaterobstaclestoreachingtheirfullestpotential.FeedingAmericaalsosaysthatfood
insecuritycannegativelyaffectachildsdevelopment.Healthproblemscausedbyfood
insecuritycanlimitachildsabilitytofunctionmentallyandphysically.Theycouldbe
hospitalizedandbemoreatriskofchronichealthproblems.Theyalsomightnothavetheability
tofunctionphysicallyandbeabletodoactivitiessuchasschoolorsocializingwiththeirpeers.
Foodinsecurechildrenareatahigherriskforbehavioralandsocialproblems.Foodinsecurity
causeschildrentobemoreatriskforfighting,hyperactivity,aggression,anxiety,moodswings
andbullying.Childrenarealsomorelikelytobeabsentortardyfromschoolbecauseoffood
insecurity.Achildsperformanceinschoolcanbegreatlyinfluencedbythebehavioraland
healthproblemsthatcomefromfoodinsecurity(ChildHunger).
InanEdutopiaarticlecalledHungerPangs:TheEmptyStomachProblem,thestoryof
teacherSusanPhillipsnoticinghowhungercanaffectstudentsintheclassroom.thearticlesays
Itwasn'tacaseoftheMondaymorningbluesitwashunger.Herstudentateprettywellon
subsidizedschoolbreakfasts,lunches,andafterschoolsnacks,butovertheweekend,hejust
couldn'tgetenoughfoodathome.Wewouldfeedhimpracticallynonstopthroughouttheday,
andbyTuesdayhewasbacktohisusualself,Phillipssays.Childrenthatactlikethisafter

weekendsaredistractedbyhungerandareirritable.Teachersnoticethistypeofbehaviorand
oftenfindwaystohelptheirstudentshunger.InthecaseofSusanPhillips,herschoolstartedits
ownbackpackprogramtohelpitsstudentsmakeitthroughtheweekendwithchildfriendly
itemsthatcanbemadewithoutthehelpofadultsthatmightbeatwork.Phillipssaidshesaw
dramaticchangeinthefivestudentsthatwererecipientsofthebackpackpalprograminher
school.Storieslikethisonearehappeningalloverthecountrywithmoreandmoreschoolsand
foodbanksjoininginthebackpackpalprogramthroughFeedingAmerica.Schoolsin39states
andinWashingtonD.C.aresendingfoodfilledbackpackshometo35,000studentsinneed.Our
backpackpalprograminAshevilleCitySchoolswouldbeapartofthegrowingbackpackpal
movementinAmerica(Orr).

StatementofNeed:
PovertyisaproblemthataffectsmanyAmericans.TheUnitedStatesCensusBureau
definespovertyaswhenafamily'stotalincomeislessthanthefamily'sthreshold,thenthat
familyandeveryindividualinitisconsideredinpoverty.Peoplethatareinpovertystruggleto
payforthingslikeclothes,housing,andconsiderablymostimportant:food.Lackoffoodand
lackoftherightkindsoffoodcanleadtomalnourishment.Malnutritionisaveryserious
problemthatcanleadtomanyhealthconditions,especiallyinyoungchildren.Ifchildrenare
malnourished,itcanaffectnotonlytheirhealth,buttheiracademicsuccessaswell.
ThepercentofAmericansagedfivethroughseventeenlivinginpovertyasof2012was
21%.(NationalCenterforEducationStatistics)Thismeansthatthesechildrenaregrowingupin

ahouseholdwithmoreexpensesthanincome.Insituationslikethis,nutritioncanreallysuffer.
Familieswithlowincomehavelessmoneytospendonfood,meaningwhattheydogetis
usuallyfastfoodorinexpensivemealsfromthegrocerystore.Oftenthesemealsdonotcontain
vitalnutrientsachildneedstogrow.Ifachildbecomesmalnourished,theycanbecomesickor
havereducedmentalandphysicaldevelopment.Inextremecasesofmalnutrition,childrencan
havestuntedgrowth,mentalretardation,andbraindamage.Notonlydoesmalnutritionandnot
eatingrightaffecthealth,butitalsoaffectsacademicperformance.Itaffectsbraindevelopment,
causingdelaysinmotorandcognitivedevelopment.Thesenegativeeffectscanincludeattention
deficitdisorder,impairedschoolperformance,decreasedIQscores,memorydeficiency,learning
disabilities,reducedsocialskills,reducedlanguagedevelopment,andreducedproblemsolving
abilities.(OrphanNutrition)TherearelikelystudentsintheAshevilleCitySchoolsDistrictthat
aresufferingfrommalnutrition,andwhileitmaynotbeextremeenoughtocauseseverehealth
effects,itcanbesevereenoughtoaffecttheirperformanceinschool.
Beinghungrycandistractachildfromtheirworkduringtheschoolday.Teachersoften
noticeproblemswithhungrystudentsinthemorning,beforetheyhavehadachancetoeatlunch.
Teacherscitelethargy,headaches,stomachachesanddifficultyconcentratingasdirect
consequencesofhunger.(NoKidHungry)Astudentwhohasnothadenoughtoeatoverthe
weekendwillhaveanevenmoredifficulttimeconcentratingwhentheschoolweekstarts,before
theycangetamealfromtheschool.Haveyoueverforgottentoeatamealandnoticedthe
growlingdiscomfortinyourstomach?Imagineachildtryingtotakeatestaftermissingmultiple
meals.Schoolswantfortheirstudentstosucceedandgoontothenextgradelevel,oroffto

college.Nomatterhowgreatateacherisatinstructinghisorherstudents,ifachildisstruggling
withhungerheorshewilllikelynotsucceed.
ProjectNarrative:
AshevilleCitySchoolsisaschoolsysteminneed.42.42%ofstudentsreceivedfreeand
reducedlunchinAshevilleCitySchoolsasofOctober31st2014.Especiallyinspecificschools
likeHallFletcherElementarySchool,wherethefreeandreducedlunchrateisover70%,thereis
agreatneedforstudentstogetfoodwhentheymightnotgetitathome(AshevilleCitySchools).
SomeofthosestudentsandadditionalothersmayhavetogofromFridaytoMondaywithout
receivinganadequatemeal.WeplantoservealloftheAshevilleCitySchoolsstudentsfrom
gradesK12thatcannotgetfoodontheweekendswithaprogramcalledBackpackBuddiesof
Asheville.
Weplantosendnonperishablefoodsthatdonotrequireanypreparationthatyoung
childrencanopenthemselvesbecausetheirparentsmightnotbearoundtoassisttheirchildat
mealtimes.AbackpackpalprogramisalreadyinplacethatservessomestudentsintheAsheville
CitySchoolsDistrict,butitdoesnotserveallandisspreadover16countiesthatareinneed
(MANNAfoodbank).Thisisauniqueprojectbecauseitfocusesononeschoolsystemandisnot
awidelystretchedprogramoveralargenumberofcounties.Itisalsouniquebecauseitcovers
elementary,middleandhighschoolgradelevels.Manyprogramsonlycoverelementaryand/or
middleschoolneeds.Whileitmayseemmorecrucialtofeedtheyoungerchildrenwhilethey
arestilldeveloping,highschoolisaverysignificantpartofachildseducation.Highschool
gradesdeterminewhetherastudentcangotocollegeorgetthejobtheywant.Ifstudentsatthis
agearenotreceivingpropermeals,itcanaffecttheirfuture.Manystudiesshowthatcognitive

abilitiesareaffectedbyhungerandsometimescausebehavioralproblems.Thisanimportant
projectbecauseitwillgivehungrystudentsalevelplayingfieldwithacademicsbyproviding
themwithfoodsotheyhavelesstoworryaboutandabetterabilitytofocusonschool(Child
Hunger).
Thecriteriaforastudentbenefitingfromthebackpackpalprogramwillnotsimplybethe
factthattheyqualifyforfreeandreducedlunchsomestudentscanbeoverlookedbysome
backpackpalprogramsbecausetheydonotreceiveforfreeandreducedlunch,sowebelieve
thatteacherrecommendationsshouldbeacriterionforstudentstoreceivefromthebackpackpal
program.Teachersseetheirstudentsallthetime,andwebelievethattheyarebestequippedto
monitortheirstudentsbehaviorsandeatinghabits.Wefeelthatamorelocalizedbackpackpal
programthatfocusesstrictlyonAshevilleCitySchoolswillensurethatnochildintheschool
districtislefthungry.OurobjectiveistomakeAshevilleCitySchoolshungerfree.
Inordertodeterminewhichstudentswillreceivetheservicesprovidedbyabackpackpal
program,teachersandschoolcounselorswillworktogethertoidentifystudentswhodisplay
symptomsofhungerand/ormalnutrition.ManyhungrystudentswillcometoschoolonMonday
andeateverythingveryquicklyand/orwillbeirritableorlethargicinthemorningbeforethey
haveeatenafteraweekendofnoteating(Orr).Additionally,schooldataonwhichstudents
receivefreeorreducedmealswillbeusedasaguideforchoosingstudentsforthisprogram,as
studentsreceivingtwomealsadayatschool(breakfastandlunch)oftentimesdonotreceive
adequatefoodwhentheyarenotinschool.Studentscanalsoberecommendedbytheirteacher
teachersnoticewhentheirstudentsareextremelyhungryaftertheweekend.Evenifstudentsdo
notreceivefreeandreducedlunch,theirfamiliesmightstillbestrugglingtoprovidefoodfor

them.Therefore,aprogramthatcouldreachmorestudentsthanthosewhoareservedbythefree
andreducedlunchprogramwouldbevaluable.Onceachildhasbeenidentifiedasqualifyingfor
thebackpackpalprogram,theirfamilywillbenotifiedandmustgrantpermissionforthechildto
receivefoodontheweekends.Afterachildsparentorguardianapproves,heorshewillreceive
agrocerybagfullofnonperishablefoodeachFriday,typicallywhileheorsheisatrecessin
ordertobediscreetandnotsinglehimorherout.

AsofOctober31,2014,1,894studentsintheAshevilleCitySchoolsDistrictare

currentlyreceivingfreeorreducedlunch,sothisnumberisastartingplaceastohowmany
studentswouldqualifyforthebackpackprogram(AshevilleCitySchools).However,itislikely
thatmorestudentsaregoinghungryyetdonotqualifyforfreeorreducedlunch.Therefore,it
wouldbeestimatedthatapproximately2,000studentsintheAshevilleCitySchoolsDistrict
wouldbeinneedofservicesprovidedbyBackpackBuddiesofAsheville.Gatheringdatafrom
otherbackpackprogramsestablishedacrossthecountrypredictstheweeklycostforonechildto
receivefoodfortheweekendtobeapproximately$3.25,anamountthatcanfluctuatebasedon
bothmonetaryandmaterialdonations.ThegoalofBackpackBuddiesofAshevilleisforeach
participanttoreceivetwonutritionalmealseachweekendfor37weeksayear,ortheequivalent
oftheschoolyear.Therefore,theannualcostofthisprogramforonechildis$125(Backpack
Buddies).Receivingagrantfor$250,000willallowabackpackprogramtobejumpstartedinthe
AshevilleCitySchoolsDistrictandserveaminimumof2,000students,anumberthatcouldbe
increasedifsufficientdonationsandpartnershipsweremade.

ReceivingthisgrantwouldallowBackpackBuddiesofAshevilletorunforoneyear

withoutneedingadditionalfundinghowever,holdingfundraisersandfooddrivesisagreatway

toencouragecommunityinvolvementanddecreasethecostofprovidingmealstostudentseach
weekend.Anymoneysavedbyusingvolunteersasopposedtopaidworkersandreceivingfood
andmonetarydonationswillbeusedtoeitherreachmorestudentsorbecarriedovertothe
followingyeartocontinuetheprogram.Volunteerswillalsobeneededeachweektocollectthe
foodandpackbagsforallstudentsinvolved.Typically,churchesinacommunityserveas
collectionspotsandeachschoolhasapointpersontohelpcoordinatethatindividual
schoolsprogram.Additionally,eachschoolwouldneedapproximately35volunteerseach
Fridaytodeliverthemealstothestudents.

Thefoodplacedinthebagseachweekneedstobenonperishable,butitalsoneedstobe

balancedandnutritional,ataskwhichtakesthoughtandintentionalconsideration.Partnerships
inthecommunitycanbemadeasasourcefordonations,whilemakingsurethefoodbeing
donatedfollowstheguidelinesofbeingnonperishableandnutritionalfoodsbeinggiventothe
studentsshouldmeetbothofthesecriteriasothattheycanbestoredinapantryorfoodbankfor
alongperiodoftimeandstillgivethestudenttheenergytheyneedtomakeitthroughthe
weekend.Possiblefooditemsthatcanfillabackpackincludepeanutbutter,granolabars,cansof
proteinorsoup,fruitcups,juiceboxes,raisins,applesauce,fruit,trailmix,andnuts.Aneasy
waytoorganizethebackpackprogramistohaveamonthlymenu,inwhichthebackpacks
containdifferentitemseachweekforfourweeks,thenarerepeatedeachmonth.Becausethe
backpackpalprogramissomethingthatisalreadyestablishedinmanyschooldistrictsacrossthe
country,thebackpackpalprogramfortheAshevilleCitySchoolsDistrictcanbemodeledafter
andfollowasimilarpatternasotherprograms.Forexample,samplefoodlistsandweeklymenus
canbefoundonlineandadaptedforthisspecificprogramandschooldistrict.

Conclusion:
ThefundingthatwereceiveforBackpackBuddiesofAshevillewillhelptojumpstart
thisaidprogram.Byusingcriteriasuchaswhetherthestudentisonfreeorreducedlunch,ifthe
familyislivingunderthefederalpovertyline,andrecommendationsfromteachersand
counselors,BackpackBuddiesofAshevillewillmakesurethateverystudentwhodoesnothave
accesstofoodoutsideofschoolwillbeprovidedforovertheweekend.Avarietyof
nonperishablefooditemswillnotonlymakesurethatstudentshaveenoughtoeat,butalsomake
surethattheyaregettingthenutrientstheyneedinaccordancewiththefederallysuggestedfood
groups(ChooseMyPlate.gov).Allinall,theBackpackBuddiesofAshevillewillhelpmakesure
thatstudentsintheAshevilleCityDistrictSchoolsdonotgohungryontheweekends.

PersonalStatements:
MaddieSiegelisasophomoreelementaryeducationmajoratAppalachianState
Universitywithaconcentrationinpsychology.SheplanstoobtainherMastersDegreein
specialeducationandteachinthepublicschoolsystemintheUnitedStates.Maddiehasworked
inanelementaryschoolclassroominwhichnotallstudentshadenoughfoodtoeatorwarm
clothestowear.Shewitnessedfirsthandhowabackpackprogramcanbenefitstudentsinneed,
bothphysicallyandintheireducation.Maddiehasalsobeenavolunteeratherlocalfoodbank

forseveralyearsandhasseentheneedinhercommunityandthepositiveoutcomesthatresult
frompeople,childrenespecially,havingenoughnutritionalfoodtoeat.
NatashaAtheyisasophomoreElementaryEducationmajorwithaminorinTeaching
EnglishasaSecondLanguageatAppalachianStateUniversity.Sheplansonteachinginthe
Americanpubliceducationsystem,specificallyinareaswherelowsocioeconomicgroupsare
prevalent.Growingupinasinglemotherhouseholdjustabovethepovertyline,Natashaknows
firsthandhowvaluableaidprogramscanbeandhowaccesstogoodnutritioncanaffectstudent
performance.NatashahasalsoworkedasavolunteerfortheBoysandGirlsClubofAmerica
andforEmoyeni,agrassrootsorganizationbasedinSouthAfricathatworkstobringnutrition
andeducationtoruralSouthAfricanstudentsandchildren.Throughthesevolunteerefforts,
Natashahasseenthephysical,emotional,andacademicchangesthataredependentonaccessto
goodnutrition.
HunterCoxisasophomoreMusicEducationandMusicPerformancemajorat
AppalachianStateUniversity.HeplansonteachingBandandOrchestrainthepublicschool
system.Hehashadmanyexperiencesteachingmusictoyoungchildren.Beingthesonofa
publicschoolteacherwhohasworkedwithmanychildrenwithlowSocioeconomicStatus,he
hasheardmanyfirsthandaccountsofhowhungerisaprobleminourschools.
AlexandraWolffisasophomoreintheHonorsCollegeatAppalachianStateUniversity.
SheismajoringinElementaryEducationwithaconcentrationinmusic.Sheplansonteaching
kindergartenstudentsandhopefullyachievingamastersinspecialeducationtogoontoteach
childrenwithspecialneeds.Goingtoaschoolwithmanystudentswhocouldnotaffordtopay
forfieldtripsforclassorlunchonaregularbasis,sheunderstandstheimportanceofsupplying

aidtothosewhoneedit.Shegrewupwithafriendwholivedoffofgovernmentaidandfood
stamps,andsawhowharditistoeatregularlyandhealthilywhenyoudonothavethemoneyfor
it.

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