School Pantry
The School Pantry program provides families with food through a pantry set up inside the school where access is convenient for students and family alike.
Early in the Backpack program, the Foodbank staff recognized that more than 80% of participating students were sharing their weekend food with siblings and parents. Rather than make more food available in the packs, program specialists decided that a better solution would be to provide families with food through a pantry set up inside the school where access would be convenient for students and family alike.
- 37 Participating Schools
- 12,414 Households Served
- 425,381 Pounds of Food Distributed
Schools Help Families in Need
School Pantries are a natural extension of the Backpack program. If children who receive weekend Backpacks are dealing with food insecurity, it makes sense that their siblings are, too. This program helps provide families with food through a pantry set up inside the school, where access is convenient for both students and family alike.
Schools provide a trusting environment where staff can offer parents a little extra support and help them feed their families. The Idaho Foodbank selects nutritious and non-perishable items, and stocks school pantry shelves with enough food to help feed a family for three to five days.
I like that I feel comfortable. They are kind and considerate of what I am going through and they don’t judge me.
School Pantry Client
Parents & School Survey
100%
The Program Works
100% of parents said the program had made a positive difference in the well-being of their family.
88%
Reliance for Meals
88% of parents agreed that without the School Pantry program, their family would have to skip one or more meals.
94%
Effective Communication
94% of parents said program participation improved their overall communication with the school.
The Idaho Foodbank 2023 Annual Report
In fiscal year 2023, food for 23.8 million meals distributed statewide with 86% of all food being nutritious. Over 212,922 people served any given month from our facilities in Meridian, Pocatello, and Lewiston, and through our network of over 440 community distribution partners statewide.