Nearly one in every four North Hills School District students qualifies for the National School Lunch, which assures that eligible students receive free or reduced-price lunch and breakfast on school days. For many area families and millions of children across the nation, securing meals during the weekend can prove to be difficult.
Due to those difficulties, the North Hills Backpack Initiative was started in 2012 by Kathy Helfrich, a North Hills High School school counselor, and Holly Michael, a gifted education teacher.
The duo saw a need to supplement weekend food supplies for students who qualify for free meals during the school day. Along with other teachers and staff, they endeavored to meet students’ most basic need and prevent extreme hunger for students whose families cannot afford meals.