CTE Center at Ellicottville & CCA Launch Weekend Backpack Program to Fight Student Food Insecurity
New partnership ensures students across four districts receive nutritious weekend meals through a pilot 40-week backpack initiative.
ELLICOTTVILLE - The CA BOCES CTE Center at Ellicottville is proud to announce a new partnership with Connecting Communities in Action (CCA) to launch a Weekend Backpack Program aimed at supporting students in the region who face food insecurity. Through this initiative, students in need will receive backpacks filled with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food items to take home each weekend. The goal is to ensure that every student has access to healthy meals outside of the school week.
The program, in its pilot, will reach students in four school districts over a 40-weekend time span.
CA BOCES Senior Administrator for CTE, Amanda Miller said that CA BOCES is pleased to be a bridge between CCA and local schools. “This partnership strengthens our ability to support students' overall wellness," she said. "We are grateful for organizations like CCA who are providing programming that assists the community in such profound ways."
The program will begin with a “soft launch” during the month of December, allowing school personnel to discreetly share information and paperwork with students and families who may benefit from the program.
Jacob Fellows, Director of Nutrition Services for CCA said he is proud of the partnership and how it will benefit regional students. “CCA’s partnership with CA BOCES for the Weekend Backpack Program is a win for our whole community - together we’re making sure students have nutritious food all weekend long, so they can come back to school ready to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Community members who wish to support the Weekend Backpack Program can make donations directly to help sustain and expand this effort. Contributions of non-perishable food items or financial support are greatly appreciated. To donate or learn more, please contact CCA Nutrition Services at 716-339-2436.
Cattaraugus Community Action, Inc. (CCA) is a private not-for-profit organization incorporated in New York State in June 1965 that builds resilient communities by helping people achieve economic, physical, and emotional security. CCA is leveraging four grants totaling $505,000 from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Fund, the Buffalo Bills Foundation, the Western New York Foundation, and the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation to implement the Healthy Cattaraugus NY Partnership’s Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plan through expanded mobile food pantries, school backpack programs, and a Food as Medicine initiative to reduce food insecurity across Cattaraugus County. To learn more, visit ccaction.org.
As the regional leader in education services, CA BOCES offers state-of-the-art programs for learners of all ages and abilities as well as cost-effective shared services for 22 component school districts. CA BOCES empowers students to achieve their maximum potential by offering a wide variety of innovative programs and support that include special education, career and technical education, adult and continuing education, technology support, and instructional support services. To learn more, visit caboces.org.