A Short History of McBackpack
McBackpack began in 2007 when Ann Randall and Gerry Lake approached the Poudre School District to see how they could help with something that would help the students. Susan Lind and Jan Stark, PSD Resource Specialists, suggested there was a need for supplemental food for a number of students who were not receiving enough food at home over weekends. Out of that concern, Ann Randall and Gerry Lake worked with school staff to receive school names that had students in need of supplemental food at home. They began buying food and getting donations to pack five food bags per week and deliver them to the children's schools. McBackpack does not know the names of any of the students who receive the food bags - only the school names where the bags will be delivered.
The following year, Ann spoke at First Presbyterian Church in a Minute for Missions in which she proposed a different "Small Group Ministry" for members of the congregation. A group of 12-15 volunteers answered the call and began packing about 20 food bags each week in the basement of the church and delivering them to the children's schools.
In 2009, McBackpack outgrew the basement space and was allowed to move upstairs to the main meeting room in the church. Dave Randall designed shelving for the storeroom that would withstand the weight of the foods and Wayne Carroll and Dale Lake built them. The church has continued to allow McBackpack to use church space for all these years.
With the growth of the program, volunteers came from many churches and other organizations in Fort Collins. Thirty to forty volunteers showed up each week to pack and deliver.
In 2012, Gerry Lake asked ten volunteers to form the Board of Directors: Barbara Frye, Sharyl Haas, Cleon Kimberling, Dale Lake, Gerry Lake, Carol Pleacher, David Pleacher, Ann Randall, Dave Randall, and Sue Siferd. The group wrote the Articles of Incorporation in 2012 and the By-Laws in 2013.
In January 2014, McBackpack became incorporated as a 501(c)3, non-profit organization.
Donations to McBackpack, Inc. then became tax deductible.
The program continues to grow. November 2019 marked the beginning of our 13th year of packing and delivering food bags to students in need within the Poudre School District. Volunteers now pack and deliver over 400 food bags each week to forty-two schools.
Click here for a printable copy
McBackpack began in 2007 when Ann Randall and Gerry Lake approached the Poudre School District to see how they could help with something that would help the students. Susan Lind and Jan Stark, PSD Resource Specialists, suggested there was a need for supplemental food for a number of students who were not receiving enough food at home over weekends. Out of that concern, Ann Randall and Gerry Lake worked with school staff to receive school names that had students in need of supplemental food at home. They began buying food and getting donations to pack five food bags per week and deliver them to the children's schools. McBackpack does not know the names of any of the students who receive the food bags - only the school names where the bags will be delivered.
The following year, Ann spoke at First Presbyterian Church in a Minute for Missions in which she proposed a different "Small Group Ministry" for members of the congregation. A group of 12-15 volunteers answered the call and began packing about 20 food bags each week in the basement of the church and delivering them to the children's schools.
In 2009, McBackpack outgrew the basement space and was allowed to move upstairs to the main meeting room in the church. Dave Randall designed shelving for the storeroom that would withstand the weight of the foods and Wayne Carroll and Dale Lake built them. The church has continued to allow McBackpack to use church space for all these years.
With the growth of the program, volunteers came from many churches and other organizations in Fort Collins. Thirty to forty volunteers showed up each week to pack and deliver.
In 2012, Gerry Lake asked ten volunteers to form the Board of Directors: Barbara Frye, Sharyl Haas, Cleon Kimberling, Dale Lake, Gerry Lake, Carol Pleacher, David Pleacher, Ann Randall, Dave Randall, and Sue Siferd. The group wrote the Articles of Incorporation in 2012 and the By-Laws in 2013.
In January 2014, McBackpack became incorporated as a 501(c)3, non-profit organization.
Donations to McBackpack, Inc. then became tax deductible.
The program continues to grow. November 2019 marked the beginning of our 13th year of packing and delivering food bags to students in need within the Poudre School District. Volunteers now pack and deliver over 400 food bags each week to forty-two schools.
Click here for a printable copy
McBackpack Officers
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Current Board of Directors Ann Randall 2012 - present (President) Sharyl Haas 2012 - present Dave Randall 2012 - present (Treasurer) Cleon Kimberling 2012 - present Susan Lind, School Liaison 2012 - present Nancy Sturtevant 2017 - present Jaxyn McKesson 2019 - present Craig Chastain 2019 - present Diana Chastain 2019 - present Don Lyon 2019 - present Rob Petterson 2019 - present Past Board Members Carol Pleacher 2012 - 2020 (Secretary) David Pleacher 2012 - 2020 (Treasurer) Dale Lake 2012 - 2018 Gerry Lake 2012 - 2018 (Treasurer) Jeremy Wasserman 2017 - 2018 Sue Siferd 2012 - 2017 Barb Frye 2012 - 2014 John Francis 2014 - 2015 (Webmaster) Noah Harrison 2014 - 2016 Kerk Staples 2015 - 2016 McBackpack Operations and Logistics Leaders Nancy Sturtevant, Co-Director 2015 - present Susan Lind, Co-Director 2018 - present Carol Pleacher, Co-Director 2015 - 2020 Bill Loy, Co-Director 2015 - 2018 Barb Frye, Director 2013 - 2015 Gerry Lake, Director 2007 - 2013 |
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Partners with McBackpack
McBackpack has been blessed to have many groups partner with us along our journey. First Presbyterian Church has
donated space for us to pack each week and allowed us to build storage shelves for our food. The church contributes
money to our program each month and its personnel coordinate with our program leaders. The Food Bank provides food
for the program at reduced prices and delivers the food to the church each week. The nutritionist at the Food Bank
meets with our director and coordinates the weekly food order. The Poudre School System is
the third organization that partners with us, providing a school liaison to our program, several school board members
who volunteer on a weekly basis, and coordinators at each school who identify students in need and take delivery of
the bags of food.
There have been many other contributors to our program over the years, both organizations and individuals. Besides the many volunteers who help us pack each week, others contribute money, donate bags, and organize food drives. Some of the organizations include Whole Foods, UC Health, Fort Collins Area Interfaith Council, Wells Fargo Bank, King Soopers, Safeway, the Pharos Fund (Bohemian Foundation), Plymouth Congregational Church, Timnath Presbyterian Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Generation United (of the Larimer County United Way), Adolfson & Peterson Construction, Foothills Unitarian Church, the Girl Scouts, the APO (Alpha Phi Omega) service fraternity, the Delta Chi service fraternity, and the Fijis (Phi Gamma Delta) service fraternity from Colorado State University, the Fort Collins Health District, Bug-A Bug-A 4-H Club, Fort Collins High School, Rocky Mountain High School, Old Chicago, Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, Avenue West, Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Club, Foothills Rotary Club, Mile High United Way, the Mustard Seed Church, Century Link, Tolmar, Homeless Gear, Larimer County, a nutrition class from C.S.U., Organizing For Action, BG Buildingworks, City of Fort Collins Department of Operation Services, Generosity Feeds, Campus Crusade (CRU), Visit Fort Collins, Beau Jo's Pizza, Mary's Mountain Cookies, Hewlett Packard, The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, an anonymous foundation, and countless other companies and individuals.
See photos of some of our partners here
There have been many other contributors to our program over the years, both organizations and individuals. Besides the many volunteers who help us pack each week, others contribute money, donate bags, and organize food drives. Some of the organizations include Whole Foods, UC Health, Fort Collins Area Interfaith Council, Wells Fargo Bank, King Soopers, Safeway, the Pharos Fund (Bohemian Foundation), Plymouth Congregational Church, Timnath Presbyterian Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Generation United (of the Larimer County United Way), Adolfson & Peterson Construction, Foothills Unitarian Church, the Girl Scouts, the APO (Alpha Phi Omega) service fraternity, the Delta Chi service fraternity, and the Fijis (Phi Gamma Delta) service fraternity from Colorado State University, the Fort Collins Health District, Bug-A Bug-A 4-H Club, Fort Collins High School, Rocky Mountain High School, Old Chicago, Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, Avenue West, Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Club, Foothills Rotary Club, Mile High United Way, the Mustard Seed Church, Century Link, Tolmar, Homeless Gear, Larimer County, a nutrition class from C.S.U., Organizing For Action, BG Buildingworks, City of Fort Collins Department of Operation Services, Generosity Feeds, Campus Crusade (CRU), Visit Fort Collins, Beau Jo's Pizza, Mary's Mountain Cookies, Hewlett Packard, The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, an anonymous foundation, and countless other companies and individuals.
See photos of some of our partners here