1 in 3 Imperial Valley Children Face Hunger; A Local Program Is Working to Change That
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. — For some Imperial Valley students, the school week doesn't end on Friday afternoon. That's when the worry about their next meal can begin.
While students across the county head home for the weekend, some families are left trying to stretch what little food they have until school starts again Monday morning.
The Imperial Valley Food Bank is working to help close that gap through its Weekend Backpack Program, which will provide food each week to more than 1,600 local students during the 2026-2027 school year.
The program currently reaches 58 schools across Imperial County, providing students with about 8 to 10 pounds of fresh and shelf-stable food each week.
And the need is significant.
The Imperial Valley Food Bank reports that approximately 1 in 3 children in Imperial County experience hunger, compared with about 13% statewide.
About 75% of Imperial County students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, meaning many children rely heavily on meals provided at school. But when the school week ends, those meals disappear until Monday.
That's where the Weekend Backpack Program comes in.
Helping kids without making them feel different
The program is designed to make receiving food assistance as normal and discreet as possible.
The food is placed in simple, nondescript backpacks so students don't have to feel embarrassed or singled out in front of their classmates.
Alma Sanchez, Family Support Services Coordinator and Homeless and Foster Youth Liaison for the El Centro Elementary School District, helps coordinate more than 500 backpacks across 12 school sites.
“We are a rural community with limited resources compared to larger cities,” Sanchez said. “The Weekend Backpacks help remove barriers to basic needs for students in families who are going through food insecurity.”
For some students, the backpacks aren't just extra snacks. They're helping provide actual meals at home.
One second grader shared that the food helped provide meals over the weekend while living with an elderly caretaker and working parents.
A fifth grader specifically praised the easy-to-prepare tuna and fresh fruit included in the backpacks.
Demand is growing
The food bank says the program has continued to grow as more schools and families seek assistance.
At Heber Elementary School District, more than three dozen backpacks are distributed every week at Dogwood Elementary and Heber Elementary.
This will be the district's third year participating in the program, with teachers becoming increasingly involved in identifying students who may need help.
“Teachers and parents are grateful for the program, and the children are enthusiastic to receive their backpacks,” said Yoli Viviana Sanchez, Family Support Services Coordinator at Heber Elementary School District.
But keeping the program running is becoming more expensive.
The food bank says increased demand, along with reductions in federal and state funding affecting programs such as SNAP and CalFresh, have created additional financial pressure.
More than 1,600 backpacks will need to be prepared every week for 35 weeks of the school year.
How the community can help
A local philanthropist is now helping community donations go further.
Imperial Valley native and longtime supporter Jack Tyler established the Jack Tyler Match, which will double the impact of first-time donations to the Weekend Backpack Program through January 2027.
Tyler, 91, has deep ties to Imperial County schools. His mother was a teacher during the early days of the county's schools, and Tyler has spent years documenting the history of Imperial Valley education.
The food bank estimates that $250 can provide weekend backpacks for one student for the entire 2026-2027 school year.
For local residents, that means a relatively small donation can directly help make sure a child has food waiting for them when they leave school on Friday.
The Imperial Valley Food Bank is asking the community to help keep the program growing as more local students and families need assistance.
Because for a child, having something to eat over the weekend shouldn't depend on whether their family can afford it.
To support the Weekend Backpack Program, visit the Imperial Valley Food Bank's website at ivfoodbank.com.