During the academic year, many Native children rely on school-provided meals to stay nourished throughout the day. But on weekends—when these services aren’t available—students often struggle to find enough to eat.
How the Smart Sacks Program Began
Several years ago, Running Strong for American Indian Youth launched the Smart Sacks program to address this weekend hunger. Through the program, children receive a bag of food at the end of each school week, helping them stay fed until classes resume.
Weekend Food Security at Takini School
At the Takini School on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota, 100% of students qualify for the federal Free Lunch Program.
The challenge became even greater when the school week was reduced to four days, leaving children without access to school meals for an extra day each week. Running Strong responded with the Backpack Food Program, ensuring Cheyenne River children wouldn’t go hungry over the extended weekend.
Every Thursday, more than 400 students receive backpacks filled with food. Bulk purchasing keeps costs at about $6 per backpack, with items such as fruit cups, graham crackers, canned vegetables, soup, and macaroni and cheese.
Fighting Monday Morning Hunger in Keshena, Wisconsin
In Keshena, Wisconsin, it was once common for children in the Menominee Indian School District to arrive on Monday mornings extremely hungry, having eaten little or nothing over the weekend.
In partnership with the school district, Running Strong now ships nutritious foods—including milk, sunflower seeds, chicken noodle soup, beef stew, fruit and grain bars, oatmeal, and raisins. School volunteers pack and distribute these items, ensuring children have healthy meals to get them through the weekend.
Measurable Impact
Last year, Running Strong distributed:
- 5,760 Smart Sacks at the Takini School
- 13,500 Smart Sacks to the Keshena Primary School
- 5,068 twenty-pound Food Boxes to families on the Standing Rock Reservation through the Wakpala School Pantry
Community Appreciation
“Many students were very pleased with the products sent home,” said Tina Waupoose of Keshena Primary School. “Students were very grateful to receive the food items we selected.”
You Can Help End Weekend Hunger
Your support can provide backpacks of nutritious food—enough to keep a child fed through weekends all month long.
