ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Through its Child Nutrition Program, the Baldwin County School System provides free and reduced meals for students in need of assistance. But what about when those students go home for the weekend.

Thanks to the Backpack Food Program through Catholic Social Services, 25 students from Robertsdale Elementary School are getting the nutrition they need beyond the schoolhouse.

“One of our missions at Catholic Social Services is to feed the hungry,” said CSS Baldwin County Director Phyllis Beam. “It is a great comfort to know that through the school Backpack Program, we can make sure children have nutritious food when they go home for the weekend. It is a great honor to be able to help them from our food pantry.”

At the beginning of the school year, Catholic Social Services was approached by RES Principal Faye Sheppard about providing food for children that they can take home for the weekend, said CSS Volunteer Coordinator Peggy Peterson.

“We want to make sure these children have food that is nutritious and at the same time it is food that they will enjoy,” Peterson said.

Volunteers come every Wednesday to fill bags full of non-perishable canned and boxed food goods, including grits, oatmeal and cereal for breakfast, along with canned goods such as soup, chili and spaghetti for lunch and dinner.

Included in the sack is a meal plan that the students and their families can follow, Peterson said.

Food for the students is provided from the CSS food pantry in Robertsdale.

“We are so blessed to have the support of local churches and businesses through both monetary and food donations,” Peterson said.

Several local churches rotate every month to provide food for the food pantry, Peterson said. Food is also purchased from the Bay Area Food Bank and Cain’s Piggly Wiggly Cost Plus also provides food when needed, she said.

While the program is now only serving Robertsdale Elementary School students, Peterson said, other schools have also expressed interest in providing assistance for their students and the program could expand in the future.

The Back Pack Program is another way Catholic Social Services, with assistance from local churches, provides assistance for Baldwin County students in need.

In August, volunteers provided assistance for 180 families, a total of 362 students through its Project REACH Program to provide school supplies for school students throughout Baldwin County.

Catholic Social Services has also partnered with local churches to provide school uniforms for students, Peterson said.

Catholic Social Services welcomes donations for these and other programs, Peterson said. If you would like more information, you can contact Peterson at (251) 947-3877 or email ppeterson@gulftel.com.