​
         There are young children in our community who can use some support with nutrition.  They receive meals as part of the school program but do not have this on weekends.  Thus, the Weekend Backpack Program provides food to 24 students at Au Gres–Sims Elementary school. 
       Each child receives a non-returnable but durable backpack each week filled with food items.  These include canned and boxed meals, snacks and fresh fruit items. 
      Shipments of food arrive once a month from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan (FBEM) and are stored in a special room at
St. John Lutheran Church.  Volunteer teams pack and deliver the bags to the school each week.  
​      The program is funded by donations from members and other interested people as well as grants from other organizations.  The program has been operating continuously since 2013.