Blessings in a Backpack began with a simple, powerful aim: to ensure that children have food on weekends so they can focus on learning when Monday arrives. Originating in the United States, the program later expanded to Canada, driven by communities that believe no child should study on an empty stomach. Across both countries, volunteers, donors, and celebrity supporters rally to keep weekends nourished. Each Friday, a backpack filled with kid-friendly groceries heads home with a student, turning a daunting weekend into a time of rest and renewed focus. The impact is measurable: participating students show stronger test performance, better reading progress, improved behavior, and more consistent attendance because they start the week healthier and more secure.
From its Louisville base the Blessings in a Backpack model has demonstrated tangible results. To date, it feeds more than ten thousand children at fifty-one schools in the United States and Canada, backed by supporters that include Hilary Duff, Tanya Kim, and Olivia Waldriff. The simple routine of packing food on Fridays translates into academic and social benefits: healthier students, more energy for class, improved concentration, and a sense of stability that supports daily learning and school engagement.
BRINGING IT TO CANADA In Toronto, poverty remains a daily challenge for many families, with roughly one in three children affected. A program like Blessings in a Backpack can feed an individual child for an entire school year for about eighty dollars, making expansion realistic for school boards and local sponsors. In Canada, the Toronto District School Board administers the initiative, and each school is responsible for launching and running its own Blessings in a Backpack program within the broader national framework.
Stan Curtis recalls the moment the idea became reality. The expansion to Canada was catalyzed by a young Canadian actress who wanted to help her peers. Olivia Waldriff, eight years old, was inspired by Hilary Duff’s work with Blessings in a Backpack and asked, Can we get the program started in Canada? The reply was yes, and the plan began to take shape through community outreach, fundraising, and partnerships with local groups.
Public involvement is simple. People can support by donating through the official Blessings in a Backpack site or by helping local schools start a program of their own. Communities can organize food drives, volunteer for packing days, and advocate for school-wide participation. When people come together, the number of children who receive weekend meals rises, and schools notice improved focus and steadier attendance, creating a ripple effect throughout the school community.
Are there plans to expand to other Canadian cities? Yes. There are hungry Canadian children in every city, and if the need exists and communities can marshal support, Blessings in a Backpack aims to broaden its reach. The core goal remains the same: keep kids fed so they can learn and grow, no matter where they live.
Olivia Waldriff speaks about the power of involvement. She encourages kids to spread the word, support local food drives, and participate in community efforts. Every person can make a difference, and if people around the world do something small, together they can drive meaningful change.
Tanya Kim describes her experience as warm and hopeful. She believes education is a key to empowering young people, and stands by the belief that every child deserves access to food. If she can help nourish bellies and energize brains, she says, then she will contribute with all her heart.
Hilary Duff compares the Canadian program to the U.S. model. She notes that the programs are essentially the same, with two Canadian schools currently serving high school students who often balance work with classes and still go without meals. Some report eating only one meal every three days. The question remains how to ensure these students have enough nourishment to learn.
The main goal is simple and ambitious: no hungry kids in Canada or the United States. Many people assume poverty is limited to distant places, but it exists in neighborhoods nearby. The program aims to free children from learning on empty stomachs, a mission that requires a long-term dream, steady effort, and communities joining forces around a shared purpose.
Thank you to Stan Curtis, Olivia Waldriff, Tanya Kim, and Hilary Duff for making this possible.