Gretna Public Schools Foundation Launches Backpack Program to Ensure No Child Goes Hungry on Weekends

Hunger doesn’t take weekends off, and now, neither will we. The Gretna Public Schools (GPS) Foundation is proud to launch the Gretna Backpack Program—a community effort to make sure every Gretna child has food to eat when school isn’t in session.

Right now, nearly 737 students in Gretna—about 1 in 10—face food insecurity. For many, the food they receive at school are their most reliable meals. But when Friday afternoon comes, some of these children go home to empty cupboards. By sending home discreet backpacks filled with food each weekend, we can help them return to school on Monday mornings nourished, focused, and ready to learn.

“No child should ever have to worry about being hungry,” said Holly Radke, Executive Director of the GPS Foundation. “When our kids have food to eat, they do better in school, they feel better, and they can just be kids again. That’s what this program is all about—caring for our neighbors.”

The idea isn’t new—weekend backpack programs have been transforming lives across the country since the 1990s. Schools that provide this kind of support see fewer absences, fewer trips to the nurse’s office, and better academic outcomes. Simply put, a full stomach makes for a stronger student and a happier child.

The Gretna program will provide simple, shelf-stable foods like peanut butter and jelly, pasta and sauce, rice with canned chicken or tuna, plus extras like cereal, granola bars, fruit, and veggies. With the community’s help, the Foundation hopes to feed at least 50 families every weekend.

Here’s how you can make a difference:

• Sponsor a family: $1,200 can support one family for a year.
• Team up as a business sponsor: $2,500–$5,000 helps us reach more families (and comes with marketing recognition on our website and social media).
• Host a food drive: Perfect for churches, clubs, neighborhoods, or local businesses.
• Be a Grocery Store Partner: Match donations or help collect items in-store.

It costs about $63,000 a year to keep 50 families fed through this program. That may sound like a big number, but with Gretna’s generosity, we believe it’s more than possible.

“Together, we can make sure every child in Gretna has a full belly and a bright future,” added Radke. “This is our community, and these are our kids. Let’s take care of them.”

For more information on how you can help—or to start making a difference today—please contact Holly Radke at hradke@gpsne.org or call 402-332-2884.