Back Pack Kids in Punta Gorda.

The Yah Yahs deliver backpacks full of healthy, non-perishable, child-friendly food to schools for kids principals and school nurses say are likely to be hungry on weekends.

Several years ago, Jolene Mowry, president of the Yah Yah Girls of Punta Gorda, heard about a program in another state that provided food on weekends to needy schoolchildren.

So every Friday since 2010, the Yah Yahs deliver backpacks full of healthy, non-perishable, child-friendly food to schools throughout Charlotte County. The packs are given to Back Pack Kidz who have been identified — by the principals and school nurses — as likely to be hungry on weekends.

Empty packs are picked up early the next week, and the process starts all over again.

Jon Rubin is a writer and producer who used to be an engineer at WOUB for All Things Considered. He now listens to WGCU.

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