By Suruj Pal and Katie Glaubius

It is a simple process. Get the check, the lady puts the money in, you take your food, and eat it in the few minutes of lunch left. The process of having to put your lunch money in every time it runs out can be taken for granted sometimes. During the 2009-10 school year, 12,835 Lincoln Public School students qualify for free and reduced lunch. This is 38 percent of all students.

According to the Food Bank in Lincoln, more than 8,700 children in Lancaster County under the age of 18 live below the poverty.

Right now, 1,565 Lincoln Public School students receive backpacks filled with food. Almost every one of these kids needs food over the weekend. The Lincoln’s Backpack program is hoping to stop hunger for these students, and their families.

Providing 8,700 students with a backpack full of food every weekend seems like it could be very costly. The price tag for the program costs only about $200 for each student to receive a backpack for a year, only about $5.88 each week.

Mrs. Nevitt, the Team Captain for North Star’s backpack program, said, “Donating just a few dollars could give one hardworking student one less thing to worry about.”

Even if you are not able to donate money, the mile walk will be held at Lincoln East High School on April 25th at 8:00 a.m. They are also accepting food donations and new backpacks to hold the food.  Backpacks must be large enough to hold a box of cereal.