Hunger Relief

In America, 1 in 7 children may not know where their next meal is coming from. For the nearly 12 million children in the U.S. facing hunger, finding the energy to learn and grow can be a daily challenge. To support our District's students and families, the School Food Service (SFS) Department collaborates with numerous community organizations to help provide hunger relief.

To strengthen this support, the District’s Hunger Relief Collaboration Team (HRCT) was established in FY18. This cross-departmental team works closely with schools and local partners to coordinate hunger relief efforts across the District. The goal of the HRCT is to establish a supportive system to assist schools with food insecurity issues in our community by working with local organizations who are looking to provide backpacks, food pantries and/or any other food distribution programs to support our students and families.

As a District requirement, a Hunger Relief School Program Participation Agreement (PBSD 2641) must be completed by both the school and the providing agency whenever a backpack, food bag, Food Pantry, and/or a Food Distribution program is in place. This agreement is accessible on the District’s HUB and website under District Forms (PBSD 2641). Once the agreement is signed by both parties, the school must retain a signed copy on file and upload and electronic version to the School Program Participation Agreements folder. In addition, all required documentation from the agency (e.g., Program’s Handbook/Guidelines, Certificate of Liability Insurance, Workers’ Compensation, etc.) must be accurate and approved before the program begins at the school.

To better understand the reach and impact of our hunger relief efforts, we encourage you to explore the Support Services Dashboard. This interactive tool provides school-level data on hunger relief programs, such as backpack and food pantry services, and the agencies that support our students. The dashboard is updated as new programs are added and allows users to view information by region, municipality, and school level. Access both the Support Services Dashboard and its overview video to learn about this valuable resource.

If your school does not currently have a hunger relief program, and you are interested in starting one, please email hungerreliefteam@palmbeachschools.org and a team member will connect with you. We also encourage you to review the Hunger Relief Frequently Asked Questions for additional guidance.