Boerne Volunteers Feed 500 Students Every Weekend

Every Thursday morning in Boerne, Texas, up to 40 volunteers form an assembly line with a simple mission: make sure no child goes hungry on the weekend.

The team packs hundreds of bags through Blessings in a Backpack, a program that's been feeding local students for 14 years. Each bag contains breakfast, lunch, and three snacks for both Saturday and Sunday, giving kids consistent nutrition when school meals aren't available.

Kathy Bandujo started the program at a single school in 2012. Today, it serves more than 500 students across all 14 Boerne Independent School District campuses, reaching about one in five students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Program coordinator Audra Duran says many people don't realize the need exists in Boerne. "Everybody thinks of Boerne as affluent, and we are for the most part, but there is a great need as well," she explained. "We're just here to help those folks live with dignity and keep their bellies full."

The volunteers work quickly, completing their packing and delivery in under two hours each week. They never know which students receive the bags, a privacy measure that protects families from stigma.

"We have no idea who these children are, nor do we need to know," Bandujo said. "We just need to know that there's a hungry child. That's all that matters."

The Ripple Effect

Rising food costs have challenged the program recently, with some items like mandarin oranges jumping from $15 to $25 per case. But the community has responded. Every dollar donated goes directly to food, with Bandujo and Duran covering administrative costs from their own pockets.

The volunteers also pack special bags for long school breaks, adding items like peanut butter to help meals stretch during holidays when families face extra pressure.

For 14 years, this Thursday ritual has kept bellies full and reminded 500 families they're not alone.