October Phlocking
October Phlocking Charity: Backpack Kidz; Our Mission to End Weekend Hunger
“Backpack Kidz is a 100% volunteer-driven organization committed to ensuring that no child in Charlotte County goes hungry over the weekend. We believe every child deserves consistent access to nutritious food to support their health, education, and overall development.”
Backpack Kidz FACTS:
1 in 8 children live in food insecure households
Most food-insecure households with children have at least one working adult, often in low-wage jobs
Hunger is linked to lower academic achievement and concentration
Ending childhood hunger improves community health, school outcomes, and economic productivity
Backpack Kidz was founded by a dedicated group of volunteers known as the “Yah Yah Girls” who recognized a critical need in their community. They discovered that many children who relied on school meals for nutrition were going hungry over the weekends when schools they attended were closed.
What started as a small initiative has grown into a comprehensive program that serves multiple elementary, middle, and high schools throughout Charlotte County. Our mission remains simple yet powerful: ensure no child experiences hunger when they should be focusing on learning and growing.
As a completely volunteer-run organization, 100% of every donation goes directly to purchasing food and supplies for the children we serve. We have zero administrative costs, making every dollar donated incredibly impactful.
The Back Pack Kidz program provides non-perishable food items and other supplies that are healthy and child friendly, to Charlotte County elementary, middle, and high school students for distribution by principals, teachers, and nurses to children identified as likely to be hungry on weekends. Backpack Kidz in Charlotte County feeds thousands of children annually. The “backpacks” are bags of food distributed weekly to the schools by volunteers. They are delivered on Thursday and passed out to the children for the weekends. The facility in Punta Gorda is staffed by volunteers that are very organized in their mission to meet local children's needs.
Items Needed:
Breakfast bars, Clif bars, Nature Valley bars, peanut butter /cheese crackers, Goldfish, Nuts, Fruit snacks, large jars of peanut butter, and large jars of Grape or Strawberry jelly
For all planning to attend our October phlocking please remember that in addition to donations for October's charity, we continue to need members to bring non-perishable food items for the food pantry. We really appreciate the food donations received to date, but last month at the September phlocking we were a little light and there still is a need for the food donations to continue......thank you!!
October Phlocking Entertainment:
Jacob Engelking is a solo musician and singer/songwriter based in SW Florida. He plays a variety of covers from 50’s to the latest releases, as well as some of his original music. He has a unique style featuring a loop station adding beats and layers of acoustic and electric guitars along with voice harmonies giving a dynamic sound.
Jacob is in high demand at venues throughout the area including Riviera Bar & Grill, Ortigia Cucina & Bar, Nav-A-Gator Grill, Fisherman’s Village, Celtic Ray and others in the region. For his complete schedule of upcoming gigs, and more information, please go to his website: www.jacobengelking.com
