Altrusa International of Longview-Kelso Foundation

Hunger doesn’t take the weekend off!

The Backpack Buddies Project is a hands-on service project of Altrusa International of Longview-Kelso that served homeless and underprivileged children in five low-income elementary schools during the 2025-2026 school year.  These schools included Kessler, Mint Valley, Northlake and Robert Gray in Longview and Lexington in Kelso.  September 2026, two new schools were added to this program:  Butler Acres and Huntington Middle School, both in Kelso.  For the 2026-2027 school year, a total of seven (7) schools will be served, six (6) elementary and one (1) middle school, listed above.

Altrusa's Backpack Buddies program served 251 unduplicated students during the 2025-2026 school year in Longview and Kelso.  The weekend bag of nourishing food includes a total of six (6) meals: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 snacks and 2 dinners. The entire menu is made up of packaged, non-perishable items that are ready-to-eat so that a child can easily prepare them without the use of a stove.

Research shows that food insufficiency has a profound effect on the academic performance of children in school, as well as on the psychosocial development.

Local Statistics: Over 63% of local school age students are from low income families.  

Backpack Buddies Expenses 2025-2026 school year: $26,000.00 at $4.27 per weekend bag.  

During the 2025-2026 school year, 6,095 weekend food bags were distributed. This was a 29% increase over the previous year! 

The famous Altrusan, Eleanor Roosevelt, once said, "Freedom to eat is one of the most important freedoms."