For some children, the end of the school week doesn’t just signal two days of rest — it means two days without a reliable source of food. The Greater Lansing Food Bank’s weekend kits program steps in to fill that gap, ensuring kids return to school nourished, focused and ready to learn.
Last year, the Greater Lansing Food Bank distributed nearly 100,000 weekend kits across its seven-county service area and is expecting to provide at least 110,000 kits for the 2025-2026 school year.
“We recognized that for families who rely on school meal programs for meals throughout the week, weekends and longer breaks away from school mean time away from an essential source of nutrition,” said Katlyn Cardoso, senior manager of marketing and communications at the food bank. “This program addresses the immediate need of a child’s empty belly while also contributing to long-term academic outcomes and a more equitable, supportive learning environment.”…