25 Church Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326
607-547-8902

Serving northern Otsego County since 1977

The mission of the Cooperstown Food Pantry is to address issues of poverty and hunger in northern Otsego County.

The Cooperstown Food Pantry is a
501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.


What is the BackPack Program?

Backpack

The mission of the BackPack Program is to help alleviate childhood hunger in America by providing children at risk of food insecurity with nutritious and easy to prepare foods when free and reduced school lunch is unavailable, over the weekends and during school breaks.

The BackPack Program is a national program that the Cooperstown Food Pantry participates in via the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and Feeding America. A backpack full of kid-friendly, shelf stable, easily-prepared food is discreetly distributed on Friday afternoons to children who participate in the program. Teachers report that students who receive backpacks show increased attention and ability to focus during the school day.

Since its inception in 2007 at our Regional Food Bank, the BackPack Program has expanded to over 220 schools in 20 counties. Over 186,000 bags were distributed during the 2017-2018 school year, which is the equivalent of 1.1 million meals.

Information and Enrollment

For more information about the BackPack Program, including resources to help you start a program at your school, contact the Children’s Program Manager at the Regional Food Bank at www.regionalfoodbank.net.

Of the 124 families in the Cooperstown Central School District who utilized our food pantry in 2019, 55 (or 44%) included children.

To enroll your child in the Cooperstown program, please contact the guidance staff at your child’s school.

The Cooperstown BackPack Program

The BackPack Program was introduced to the Cooperstown Central Schools in 2010. During the 2018-2019 school year, the Cooperstown BackPack Program distributed over 1,151 backpacks containing over 11,855 pounds of food, or the equivalent of 8,053 meals! We are one of several BackPack programs in Otsego County.

The majority of programs are school-based programs who send volunteers to pick up weekly distributions from a Regional Food Bank. Due to our distance from the Regional Food Bank, we receive monthly distributions as part of our monthly delivery.. The Cooperstown Central School guidance staff determine which students are in need and students are enrolled confidentially.

On Thursday afternoons, Pantry volunteers review and prep the menu. Members of the Cooperstown High School Leo Club collect the empty backpacks, transport them to the Pantry, pack them and return them to both the elementary and middle/high schools. Students pick up their backpacks from a designated area on their way home each Friday afternoon.

The average backpack weighs approximately 10 pounds, and contains safely packaged food items that are easily transported home. The Cooperstown Food Pantry extends the BackPack Program into the summer months, providing participating children with the option of a monthly box. The box contains meals that would be equivalent to the amount of food they would receive on weekends throughout the school year.

BackPack Menus

BackPack Program weekly menus include:

Children also receive Cooperstown Farmers’ Market vouchers when the program is in season.

What Teachers and Parents Tell Us

~ A teacher writes :”My participating student has been growing academically for sure. I get a strong sense that he feels we are looking out for him. Thank you for allowing our school to participate in this program!”
~ A parent shares: “It helps when I don’t have enough money to purchase the basics. Knowing we have food for the weekend is a blessing.”
~ Teachers report that students who receive backpacks show increased attention and ability to focus during the school day.
~ Most students share their food with family members, indicating how important this program is to the entire household.

BackPack Program Funding

$190 funds one child’s participation in the BackPack program over the duration of the school year, and $220 funds one child’s participation in the program over the duration of the school year and the summer box program.

100% of the donations made to the Cooperstown BackPack program are used specifically for BackPack progarm food distribution.

Donate online using credit card or PayPal (include “BackPack Program” in the message section).

OR Mail your donation by check to:

The Cooperstown Food Pantry
25 Church Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326
*include “Cooperstown BackPack” on the memo line

Your contribution to the BackPack Program, in any amount, ensures the participation of any child in need of food assistance within our community.

OR Donate through the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York

The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
965 Albany-Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110
*include “Cooperstown BackPack” on the check’s memo line

More Information

124 families in the Cooperstown Central School District utilized our food pantry in 2019, of those, 55 (44%) included children.

54% of all households that received food assistance from our food pantry in 2019 included children.

For more information about BackPack programs, including resources to help you start a program at your school, contact the Children’s Program Manager at the Regional Food Bank at www.regionalfoodbank.net.

To enroll your child in the Cooperstown program, please contact the guidance staff at your child’s school.