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Weekend meals for hungry local schoolchildren, in partnership with Washington County schools and area churches.
Micah's Backpack is a partnership between Washington County Public Schools, HARC, the Maryland Food Bank, and more than 50 sponsoring churches and community organizations, providing bags of food to feed hungry students over the weekend. Brought to Washington County by Trinity Lutheran Church in 2010, the program now serves more than 1,000 students in 34 schools. More than 10,000 students in the county receive free or reduced lunches, and for many that lunch is the last hot meal of the day — children are especially hungry over the weekend when school is not in session.
Over 30 volunteers from Kiwanis, Specialty Granules, and others processed the program's spring food distribution of 2,290 cases (roughly 50,000 pounds, $49,422), serving 45+ sponsor congregations and 1,160+ children weekly across Washington County, funded by HARC grants and sponsor funds.
Concordia's Micah's Backpack provides weekend food to 25 students at Lincolnshire school. Each weekend it sends 350+ food items (two-day bags) and 485+ (three-day bags); some reporting cites 650+/975+. HARC grants and Maryland Food Bank allotments cover about half the year's food cost, with congregational donations covering the rest. Per-bag cost is at least $10, of which HARC funds about $3.75 and Concordia covers the $6.26 balance per child per week.
Concordia observes the Blessing of the Backpacks, a Micah's Backpack tradition in which all 45 sponsor congregations are encouraged to participate at the start of the school year. In 2023 it coincided with a team appreciation lunch for the 16-member team (Sep 17); in 2024 it was held Sunday, Sep 29, supporting 25 Lincolnshire students with first bags sent home Sep 20.
While Micah's Backpack pauses for summer, the children it feeds receive free weekday lunches through Washington County's Meal Machine program, including Friday take-home items for the weekend.
Marge Ziegler joined as a substitute packer and deliverer (2023); Nancy Flicek joined in 2024 as the team restocked its closet with a large Maryland Food Bank order funded by cash donations and HARC grants.
The steering committee organized 45 sponsors across schools, conducted new sponsor training, and coordinated a first Maryland Food Bank order of about 45,000 pounds, with the first food bags going home the week ending 9/15.
Micah's Backpack