On Saturday, July 20th, 2019 Bimbo Bakeries USA in London, KY will be hosting a 5k Walk/Run for the Backpack Program of Laurel County. All donations and money raised will go directly to support the program in the upcoming 2019/2020 school year.

What is the Backpack Program of Laurel County?

An estimated 25 – 30% of all school-age children in Laurel County are going hungry from the time they leave school on Friday until they return to school the following Monday. For many children, a school lunch is their primary source of nutrition. The Backpack Program aims to meet the needs of these hungry children throughout the county.

When The Backpack Program (formerly The Backpack Club) first began in 2004, it was initially providing 65 children with weekly food bags. Currently, there are over 1,000 children being served in every elementary, middle and high school in Laurel county.

The Backpack Program relies on donors and volunteers to fulfill our program’s mission. We have partnered with God’s Pantry Food Bank, which serves both as a donor for many of the food items we provide, as well as a location where our volunteers work to assemble bags each week. Needy children are identified by the Family Resource Centers at each Laurel County school and ensures that weekly bag of non-perishable food is discreetly placed in these children’s backpacks every Friday before they leave for the day

Each year Bimbo Bakeries USA looks to our neighbors for ways that we can support our community. This year we have gladly chosen the Backpack Program of Laurel County and we are excited for this event. The children in our community rely heavily on this program to ensure food for the weekend during the school year. We hope that you can join us for this special event to also support such a great cause!