A local woman from Maple Valley created a nonprofit to help feed kids in the Tahoma School District who may not be able to afford food.

Mindy Gamble, creator of Backpack Buddies of Maple Valley, said in 2014 her daughter, who is in a Girl Scouts Troop in Covington, had decided to a do a service project. Her daughter decided to volunteer for Covington Backpack Buddies once a month.

“The first Thursday that we showed up, the gentleman (who) was kind of leading the program that night was explaining why they do what they do, who it goes to, who they serve, why it’s important,” Mindy said. “I was overwhelmed that it was a program. I was overwhelmed with the feeling of, ‘I want to participate in my own community because I live in Maple Valley.’ I knew I had to see if there was a program in my community and everywhere I went it was a no, the program did not exist so I knew I had to start it. I knew the need was there and I got approval from the superintendent and kind of the rest is history.”

Backpack Buddies of Maple Valley is a nonprofit that provides food for students who need it over the weekend. That way kids who can’t afford food will always have food, even if they are not at school.

“If they’re in need because they don’t have funds for food and they’re (families of kids in the school district) using the food bank, but it’s just not going as far as they had hoped, this is just to help those kids out to get them through the weekend where they may not be getting their free and reduced lunches. It’s truly who signs up for the program and we understand that there may be people that sign up that don’t need it, but I know that the majority do,” Mindy said.

To get the program started in Maple Valley, Mindy said she needed a lot of help.

A key factor in getting the word out to students about the program are the school counselors.

“The school district has asked for privacy with these kids so us being a nonprofit, we rely a lot on the counselors (to tell these kids in private) and so we send out, in the at-home packets that come home at the beginning of the school year, consent forms in English and in Spanish. So everybody who starts school gets that,” Mindy explained. “There’s also the same paper work at the schools for kids that come in during the school year that are new.”

In October 2016, the first bags were packed and ready to go to students, the Backpack Buddies’ website said.

When the program first got started, it was a little slow going. Mindy said it started at one school — Rock Creek Elementary School — and then it spread out to the other elementary schools in the school district. At the start of last year, Mindy said Backpack Buddies took on the middle schools and the high schools too.

According to Mindy, she and other volunteers pack an average of 135 bagged foods per week. She said they reached their highest number once at 165. The kids have to sign up for the program each week to keep getting food, which is why numbers can vary.

“The numbers do change weekly. The (school) counselors know who the kids are. The counselors are discreet in how they deliver the bags or have the kids pick up the bags on Friday Morning. So we at Backpack Buddies don’t know who the kids are,” she said.

If students for whatever reason are not at school that morning to get their food, Mindy said she or the counselors will save their food for them to have that coming Monday.

Each bag that is packed for each student comes with two boxes of mac and cheese, a can of soup or Top Ramen meal — some type of soup product — three juices, two bags of popcorn, two apple sauces, two puddings, two granola bars, two packs of crackers and two pieces of fresh fruit, Mindy said.

To give each student the same thing in their lunch every week, Mindy said it costs Backpack Buddies of Maple Valley about $24,000 for the school year.

“Everything is done by donation. We get money from fundraisers, we get money from individual companies or churches, rotary and we use that money to purchase the food. We’ve done some food drives, but for the most part we buy the food, that way it’s the same food in all the bags,” she said.

Mindy said so many people want to volunteer to help pack lunches that she has had to set a limit as to how long a person can volunteer for.

At the beginning of the year, Mindy sends out a sign up sheet and those who want to volunteer sign it, but they are signing up for only half the school year versus the full school year, which has been done in the past. Mindy said she is also asking that people ask to sign up to help once a month instead of once a week.

“Last year, I probably turned away two people a week that were reaching out to me saying, ‘How can I help? How can I volunteer?’ Once we get things going, the only real need for help is either financial or on Thursdays when we pack (the food). I just want everyone who wants to help to have that opportunity,” she said.

No matter what though, the community is always there to help out, Mindy said.

“The community has been extremely supportive financially and anytime we need help, like whether it’s with storage or packing or food drives, they show up,” she said.

While trying to hold back tears, she said, “It’s amazing. I know that it’s helping the kids in the district that need it the most. I wouldn’t stop doing it because of them.”

To donate to Backpack Buddies of Maple Valley, go to http://backpack buddiesofmaplevalley.com/charity%20_%20Donate2.html.

Mindy said gift cards to places that they shop are also helpful. She said they shop at Fred Meyer, Grocery Outlet and Costco.