Mary is always asking her counselor, "When will the McBackpack be here?" The counselor asks why she is so
interested. "Because when I take my bag home, my grandma and I put it all out on the table and we make as many meals as
we can with it. Then we both know what we will have to eat. Sometimes I help cook the meals."
One day School staff observed students taking items out of their food bags and handing them to another girl new to the
School (a no-no by School rules), so the students were asked why: "Because Sharyl doesn't get any bags yet, and her
mom and her don't have much food. Now their peanut butter is even gone, so we gave her some of our food." This
story always gets to me because here are kids sharing when they hardly have enough for their own families.
A grandma relates: "I noticed Amy, my first grader, almost dancing when she opened her bag and I asked why." Amy said, "Because this week we got
'Busgeti' and it's my (sic) favor-rite."
"Mommy look we got peanut butter, raisins, and two apples. I can make my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich
and an apple to take to school and then I get to sit with the other kids who bring their own lunches." This was her first
homemade lunch.
Bobby said, "When I bring my bag of food home I feel like a grown-up because I am helping my whole family."
One year, two days before Thanksgiving a family of five (grandmother and mother and three children) were forced
to give up their hotel room. Three weeks before they had lost their home. A principal called one of McBackpack's
founders and asked, "you told me I could call you if I ever needed to. Can you help this family today? Please."
The founder immediately tapped into the network that supports McBackpack and before the day was out food and lodging
were provided for a month and the principal was given contacts for the future, if needed.