Operation Backpack - November 2025
ELCO Chevrolet and Operation Food Search are working together again with our Operation Backpack. All donations will go towards providing nutritious, kid-friendly meals to school students in need and their families.
This program is operated by Saint Louis' Operation Food Search and benefits local students across 17 counties in Missouri and Illinois.
Let's rally together and offer some support for this very worthy cause.
What Is Operation Backpack?
Operation Backpack began in 2008 with the purpose of providing elementary-age children from low-income communities with sufficient food to eat on the weekends so they can return to school on Monday ready to learn.
OBP provides backpacks full of food to thousands of children each week, enough food that a child can easily assemble into healthy meals.
Operation Food Search's primary objective with Operation Backpack is to decrease the burden of food insecurity on vulnerable children and families by providing easy access to emergency food when school meals are not available.
Operation Food Search procures and purchases all food; coordinates with school administration to identify students that will receive the weekly backpacks; and coordinates with volunteers and staff to ensure smooth distribution of the bags each week.
Last year, they far exceeded any previous school year and provided over 610,000 meals across 17 counties in Missouri and Illinois. However, this year, Operation Backpack has increased their goals to meet the needs of our community and is on track to provide nearly 700,000 meals.
Operation Backpack is privately funded, and depends upon donations to not only sustain the existing level of programming but also to expand services to more children.