Volunteers from The Joshua Project, a faith-based organization that works with the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, have been packing bags of food to deliver to families as part of the food bank’s summer backpack program.

“I give back because I can. And I do it because there's a need...The people in these communities are our neighbors [and] friends, and they deserve to have food on their table just like everybody else," says Patrick Costello, president of The Joshua Project.

A recent poll from No Kid Hungry found 91% of families in rural New York reported the cost of food rising faster than their incomes this year.

“People are really isolated here. And if you don't have access to transportation, if parents are working, getting to a traditional summer meal site is a really big obstacle that families can't figure out how to overcome. Bringing the food to them really helps you overcome that obstacle and make sure that the kids get the food that they need," says Betsy Dickson, Regional Food Bank's senior director of children's programs.

No Kid Hungry New York announced more than $146,000 in grants to help school districts and community organizations across the state provide kids with free, nutritious meals through summer. The Regional Food Bank used that funding for an additional delivery program to go along with the bags. 

“So really, we were already delivering to homes. We said this is an opportunity for us to sustainably deliver more food to children to make sure that they are not at a nutritional deficit throughout the summer," Dickson said.

The food is meant for kids to be able to access by themselves, so it requires no preparation. The boxes go out every week all summer.