PINEHURST — For more than a decade, a dedicated group of volunteers in Shoshone County has worked to combat child hunger in the Kellogg School District, but as times have changed, so have the needs. 

The Silver Valley Snack Pak Program serves roughly 220 students in the district, including about 150 elementary-age children. Each week, students receive a bag of food intended to help supplement their meals over the weekend. 

"We provide snacks for the weekend," Beth Gibbons said. "It is not meals, so we do not necessarily do it on a per-day basis. We try to give them a decent amount of snacks that will supplement what they get at home over the weekend." 

While many organizations focus on nutrient-dense foods, the Snack Pak Program seeks a balance by providing calorie-dense items that are easy for children to prepare. 

Gibbons, a board member with the program, said that while highly nutritious foods would be ideal, some children do not have the means or skills to prepare them, while others will not eat them. 

"We try to give them things they will actually eat that can be prepared easily," she said. "It's not always the healthiest food, but that's better than them going hungry." 

Students in the Kellogg School District have access to free breakfast and lunch during the school week, so the program focuses on helping fill the gap during weekends. Currently, the program provides enough food to supplement two days of a typical three-day weekend. 

Gibbons said organizers would like to expand the program to cover the additional day, but funding remains a challenge. 

In previous years, the program operated on roughly $30,000 annually while providing two days' worth of weekend food. Rising food costs, however, have pushed expenses higher and begun to outpace donations. 

The annual budget previously averaged about $5 per bag. With prices continuing to climb, Gibbons expects that figure to increase this school year. 

"I am guessing on average $6 - $7.50 a weekend per kid will be this year's cost but that varies based upon what we buy and where we buy it," Gibbons said. "We always try to come in under budget but plan for a set amount to make sure we can cover that year's expenses." 

On Monday, Kellogg High School Principal Nathan Whatcott said 73% of district students come from families living below Shoshone County's median household income, according to the Idaho Report Card, the Idaho Department of Education's public school data portal. It provides performance, demographic, financial and accountability information for every public school and district in the state. 

Whatcott said the program is a vital resource for many students. 

Each school in the district has its own liaison to the program, most of whom work in the specific school's counseling department. 

Because the organization strives to provide students with a consistent selection of food items, organizers ask supporters to donate money rather than food. 

Several local businesses already contribute to the program, but additional donations are needed to maintain current services and potentially expand them in the future. 

Those wishing to support the Silver Valley Snack Pak Program may send donations to Silver Valley Snack Pak Inc., P.O. Box 81, Pinehurst, ID 83850. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and donations may be tax-deductible.