Backpack Buddies
Backpack Buddies provides year-round weekend meals to children experiencing food insecurity. Every Friday, volunteers from Congregation Rodeph Sholom pack and deliver backpacks filled with enough food for two full days—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Fast Facts
What's in a backpack
Each week, our volunteers pack backpacks of shelf-stable food with enough food to last the weekend. Each bag contains the following:
- 2 proteins
- 2 soups
- 32oz. shelf-stable milk
- 2 cereals
- 1 can of fruit
- 1 bag each of: beans, rice, pasta
- 1 can of pasta sauce
- 1 jar of peanut butter and 1 container of jelly
- 2-3 snacks
Schools we serve
We partner with four local organizations where students receive backpacks each Friday:
- PS 347 – The American Sign Language and English School (E. 23rd St)
- Goddard Riverside – Lincoln Square Afterschool Program (W. 65th St)
- PS 180 – Hugo Newman College Preparatory School (W. 120th St)
- Frederick Samuel Resident Association – East Harlem (143rd St)
Volunteer
We welcome volunteers of all ages and commitment levels—come once or join us regularly! Opportunities include:
- Packing: Fridays, 9:00–10:00 AM in the CRS lobby. Help fill backpacks with shelf-stable food.
- Delivery: Fridays, 10:00–11:30 AM. Drive or ride along to deliver 25–55 backpacks to our partner sites. Carpooling encouraged.
Upcoming Opportunities
Corporate VolunteerS
Looking to make an impact with your colleagues? We welcome corporate and organizational groups for meaningful service days.
To schedule a group volunteer experience, email backpackbuddies@crsnyc.org.
Get In Touch
Have questions or want to learn more? Reach out to volunteer leaders, Janet Cohen and Gayle Meyer, at backpackbuddies@crsnyc.org.
The Impact
“When I saw everything packed into one bag, I realized how powerful something small can be.”
– CRS Volunteer
