Idaho Food Bank kicks off 2026 Back-to-School campaign to combat childhood hunger

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Food Bank's Back-to-School Campaign is underway for the 2026 school year, including programs like the school pantries and backpack meals. Building on its success in 2025, when it completely eliminated its waitlist, the Southeast Idaho branch of the food bank plans to continue serving every child in the state in need this school year.

The food bank in Pocatello partners with 78 local schools to fight food insecurity for students. Once the backpack meals are packaged at the food bank, drivers deliver the boxes to schools across eastern Idaho.

"We work with the counselors, the teachers and school staff to identify the students who are in need," said Cassey Leatham, Regional Director for the Idaho Food Bank. "It's very discreet; kids go in and get their backpack it just slides in super easy and they're good to go for the weekend."

The backpack meals go to elementary school students, with a dietitian-curated menu of nutritious foods. The food pantries, stocked by the Idaho Food Bank, began after organizers realized students were taking the backpack meals and attempting to share them with their entire families.

"Sometimes it's a closet or a shelter in a classroom, and they have a lot more options that are family-friendly varieties," Leatham said. "There's bigger portions, and most of the time they're open and available at the schools for people to access them."

Leatham says the campaign ends next week, but the food bank is constantly raising funds for the programs. One backpack meal costs $12, with the Southeast branch handing out almost 24,000 last year. This year, Leatham said they expect an increase of 10,000 meals statewide.

"We cannot do this program without the support of the community; 95% of our funding comes from organizations and private individuals, because the food that we put in the backpacks is all purchased food," she explained.

The food bank doesn't use donated food for the backpack meals since all the meals are curated for students' nutritional needs. Leatham said they can't count on that kind of food coming through the front doors. The backpack meals are also curated to children who may be taking care of themselves with little access to kitchen tools. Things like dry goods, canned soups and "just add water" pastas for the microwave are often included.

The students are also set over the weekend with two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and several snacks. Leatham says all of this food wouldn't make it to the students who need it without the help of the volunteers.

"We have two to three volunteer sessions a day here, they're two-hour windows," she said. "We have thousands of volunteers each year and last year was over 17,000 volunteer hours which is the equivalent of about seven to eight full-time employees in this warehouse alone."

One of those volunteers is Beth Kauffmann, who began volunteering last November and says its the responsibility of citizens to help one another in the community.

"Insecurity is something that we all face at times, and it's important to help others," Kauffmann said. "I know that what we're doing is good. It's a good thing. And at the end of my shift here volunteering, I feel like I've done something worthwhile in my day that has made a difference in the world."

Each day also brings a variety of ages in volunteers, from retirees to students helping their very own classmates. Reed (13) and Clara (10) Hurst are local students who volunteer weekly at the food bank.

"I don't really have a lot to do after camps are over in the summer," Reed said. "It makes me feel happy that I can help here and it looks good on my college resume."

Reed said the food bank often has a conveyer belt set up around the stock room to make an assembly line. Other days, volunteers get their steps in as they stuff the plastic bags full of packaged food for the community.

"I break apart the boxes and throw them in a recycling box so it doesn't get cluttered," Clara said. "It's something to do and it helps people with less food. It just feels good to know who you're helping and why you're helping."

Leatham said Eastern Idaho alone, 17.4% of children are food insecure, which keeps the Idaho Food Bank going with their goals, program and mission to end hunger in Idaho.

"We always say we wish we could go out of business, because that would mean we've solved hunger and everybody has access to healthy, nutritious food. But unfortunately, it's getting harder and harder for families to get by," Leatham said. "So that's really why we keep doing what we do."

Organizers also said they've heard from teachers in local schools that students going hungry have lower test scores and a harder time focusing during the day. Leatham said to check if a school participates in the backpack program and then head to the school counselor if you or someone you know could benefit from the backpack meals over weekends.

The Idaho Food Bank relies primarily on community support to keep its programs feeding Idaho students. If you are interested in donating funds or your time through volunteering, visit idahofoodbank.org to sign up and learn more.