While North East ISD provides free breakfast and lunch to students Monday through Friday, some students worry about eating on the weekends.
That's where Snack Pak 4 Kids comes in.
"We purchase the food directly from Labatt Foods, and then we have volunteers who come into our warehouse once a month, and they pack the snacks and deliver them to the campuses," said Snack Pak 4 Kids Executive Director Michelle Young. "The students get name-brand snacks focused on calories, calcium and protein."
Stahl Elementary School is one of a dozen or so NEISD schools partnering with Snack Paks 4 Kids.
More than 50 Stahl students get a bag full of snacks discreetly put into their backpacks every Friday to help get them through the weekend.
"I feel like this program, along with our school, is making a difference, and we're impacting the lives of these kiddos," said Stahl Family Specialist Lorraine Martinez. "I mean, it's definitely something that I know that they look forward to, but I look forward to it. Knowing that over the weekend, these kiddos have something to eat, you know, that puts my mind at peace also."
Students take home jerky, peanut butter, crackers, milk and other snacks to get them through the weekend.
Martinez sees the program as a win-win for her students. Not only are they fed on the weekends, but they also come to school on Monday less worried and hungry so that they can focus on learning.
"So having this program in place here, it really does help the students," said Martinez. "I can tell you that when I give a bag to a student at the end of the day, they are excited. They're happy. They look forward to it every Friday, and so do I."
