The Sanford Backpack Program recently hosted its fourth annual food distribution event at Sanford High School, showcasing the leadership and community spirit of the school's students. The planning and execution of this event was spearheaded by SHS and SRTC students.
Fire Science, EMS, and Law Enforcement classes, under the guidance of Fire Captain Harold Smith, developed plans—including backup arrangements for inclement weather—that covered everything from traffic flow to volunteer rehabilitation stations.
These students created and implemented a system for building 800 food boxes, ultimately exceeding their goal by assembling 950 boxes by early afternoon. Between 3-6 pm, volunteers distributed over 800 boxes of food to community members in need.
The event highlighted the collaborative spirit across the school's educational programs. SRTC Fire Science, EMS, and Law Enforcement students served as the core organizing team, with many staying until the very end of the 12-hour day.
“This event takes a whole town, whole city to come together and make it happen,” said Lori Williams of the Sanford Backpack Program. “From the homemade cookies to the detailed planning and follow through, to the support of the Sanford School District, especially administration at Sanford High and SRTC we are so thankful to have so many that support The Sanford Backpack Program.”
Alternative Education students pitched in with box assembly and distribution, while Life Skills classes contributed valuable assistance throughout the day. Multilingual learner students helped ensure the diverse community was served. Students from the Kitchen Basics class, taught by April Camire, prepared dozens of homemade cookies for volunteers, providing welcome refreshments during the long day of work.
For this year's distribution, the Sanford Backpack Program received over 16,000 pounds of dry and canned items like pasta, beans, instant potatoes, flour, and diced tomatoes. Additionally, 14,000 pounds of fresh produce came from Good Shepherd Food Bank.
The program has been a school pantry partner with Good Shepherd since 2009 and is the largest school food pantry in Maine. The event brought together students and 20-30 outside volunteers from the community who worked alongside them throughout the day.