At the 2015 Backpack Summit, participants attended a variety of breakout sessions addressing common questions about starting/maintaining/expanding backpack programs - the notes from these sessions are located here.

Information on legal requirements for dating food product and guidelines for date labels

Wondering where Seattle's current backpack programs get their food? While some programs rely entirely on internal food drives, others (especially those run by food banks) purchase from or create donor relationships with grocery stores. Since contacting your local grocery store to bulk order food for you can be helpful, here's a list of grocery stores that these programs currently have partnerships with.

Backpack program starter toolkit published by Hunger Free Colorado

This short activity, appropriate for children in elementary school, is one way that teachers at Adams Elementary figure out which students are in need of extra resources and support.

Thinking of starting up a program at your school? Northwest Harvest's backpack program guide has some useful things to consider, logistical advice, and tips for success!

When creating a backpack program, what types of food should you distribute? Is it feasible to factor nutrition into your budget? How about culturally appropriate food? Check out this helpful checklist with things to think about from the Seattle Nutrition Action Consortium (SNAC).

A comprehensive guide of best practices from Tutu's Pantry, a small, parent-run backpack program in Stevens Elementary in Seattle.