KidsPack Weekend Meals Program Debuts

Child receives a KidsPack

(Press Release) Boca Raton, FL (May 26, 2026) —Over 50,000 children in Palm Beach County struggle with food insecurity. Since 2011, Boca Helping Hands (BHH) has confronted this need through their weekend meals program for elementary school students. Now, BHH is introducing its newly renamed KidsPack Weekend Meals Program (formerly called BHH Backpacks) for underserved student campers this summer. 

In 2025, Boca Helping Hands distributed 288,546 weekend meals to students at 15 local schools and 5 summer camp programs, serving 1,962 children each week, and it hopes to increase that number this year. Some of the summer day camps that will receive KidsPack Weekend meals this summer include Achievement Centers for Children & Families, Pine Grove Elementary School, Village Academy, Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach, and Pearl City Cats. The rebranded program comes with a new mascot, Packy the Turtle, symbolizing the steadiness and care that characterize the initiative.

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“While our name is changing, our mission remains the same. KidsPack better reflects who we serve and what we provide, weekend meals designed specifically for children. It’s a clearer name with renewed energy,” said Andrew Hagen, CEO of Boca Helping Hands. “Our goal is to ensure kids can be kids without the burden of worrying about food insecurity.”

After the summer, the program will continue operating every Friday throughout the 33-week school year. Each KidsPack provides six meals thoughtfully planned to support students who may not have consistent access to food over the weekend, helping ensure they return to school on Monday nourished and ready to learn. 

The community is asked to support this program through donations and volunteer support. Your generous $12 provides six meals for a child over the weekend, $624 sponsors a child for a year, and any amount helps make sure no child worries about their next meal. Contribute at bocahelpinghands.org/KidsPackDonation. Volunteers can sign up to pack boxes at https://www.bocahelpinghands.org/volunteer.