Families that wish to participate may reach out to Mrs. Candice Husson, School Superintendent, or the School Nurse at 518-251-2000.
The
Backpack Program has been running independently for over a year since 2019. Previously, it was a cooperative effort through the North Country Outreach program in Johnsburg. It is designed to tackle the weekend meal gap, when school-based programs do not operate. Each child is provided with child-friendly, shelf-stable, and easy-to-prepare food items with an emphasis on nutrition. Fresh fruit is included as well as milk and egg cards redeemable at Stewart’s shops. Minerva’s program operates approximately 34 weeks during the academic year but is looking to branch out into summer offerings. The program is generously supported by private donors, the Minerva Service Organization, and local grants and volunteers.
The backpack program has recently shifted from sourcing food through the Regional Food Bank to purchasing food that aligns better with its mission of providing easy-to-prepare foods for children facing food insecurity. This allows the backpack program to provide food that can be taken from their backpacks during times when they are not in school and may not have access to meals, especially for meals such as breakfast and lunch that are usually provided at school, during the week days.
