More than 100 children at Minot Public Schools have food to fill their tummies on weekends thanks to the Backpack Buddy Program.

Lynda Bertsch, one of the co-chairs of the program, said the program fills 112 backpacks with food to send home with children on weekends and long holiday breaks.

The children attend Sunnyside, Roosevelt and McKinley elementaries in Minot. Schools select the children to receive the backpacks based on their need. Those schools were selected because Sunnyside, Roosevelt and McKinley have the highest percentage in the school district of children eligible for free and reduced price meals under federal income guidelines.

“Our goal next year is to do at least 200 backpacks,” said Bertsch. She said the group would also possibly like to expand the program to other schools.

The backpacks and the food are paid for through a combination of grants and private donations. Volunteers help fill the backpacks with food every week.

Bertsch said the backpacks sent home with the children contain enough food for at least four meals, two breakfasts, some snacks and fresh fruit or vegetables. The items included vary from week to week. One week the bags might include macaroni and cheese, ravioli and soup.

“Last week we put some bagels in there,” said Bertsch.

Over the long two day break a couple of weeks ago, the backpacks included peanut butter. Some weeks they’ve sent home pepperoni and sauce and bagels so the children could make little pizzas. Sometimes the group tries to include extra food that can be shared with younger siblings at home.

Bertsch said the group got its start as a service project by Minot State University staff. Their goal was to help feed kids at risk of hunger on the weekends, when they don’t get school lunch, so they would be better able to concentrate on school work. The group got the idea after reading the slogan of a group elsewhere in the country, stating that hunger doesn’t end on Fridays.

Since last year, the group has expanded to include other community members. Bertsch said the group has had a lot of support from those who want to help children. Last week, the Minot High School-Magic City Campus Honor Society held a peanut butter and jelly drive and donated more than 100 containers of peanut butter or jelly as well as a $500 monetary donation to the Backpack Buddy Program.

“We will hopefully keep doing this as long as we have funding,” said Bertsch.

Those interested in donating or volunteering can reach Bertsch at 858-3996.