(Jon Jaehnig/For the Gazette) 31 Backpacks received a check for $10,000 from the Keweenaw Health Foundation at The Big Pack, which took place at the Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church in Hancock Monday Evening.

HANCOCK — Over 30 volunteers gathered at the Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church to help 31 Backpacks with their annual “Big Pack” on Monday evening. The event will provide food for roughly 220 students of Copper Country schools during the Christmas break, which starts Friday and ends after the New Year.

“We just put a call out and it’s sleepless nights for me because we never know how many people will come,” said 31 Backpacks co-founder and President Laurel Maki. “But look at this! This is awesome.”

31 Backpacks is a local non-profit organization that helps to provide food for children of low-income families during weekends and school holidays as these children often rely on meals provided through the school system for as many as ten meals each week. The organization also provides personal hygiene products and cleaning products, which cannot be purchased through government assistance programs.

The organization relies heavily on community and business donations. Businesses that donated for The Big Pack included Vollwerth’s, Trenary, and Louie’s Market. The bags sent home with students will also contain pieces of candy – a special holiday treat, as 31 Backpacks prides itself on the healthfulness of the food that it provides.

Most of the food that 31 Backpacks provides comes from area food banks. However, area food banks are operating well below normal levels, according to 31 Backpacks co-founder and Vice President Melissa Maki.

“This time of year, we get a lot of donations because of the season,” said Maki. “But we do have to sustain throughout the year.”

They will be helped this year by a $10,000 donation from the Keweenaw Health Foundation, a check for which was presented to 31 Backpacks by KHF Executive Director Ed Jenich at The Big Pack.

“(31 Backpacks does) a fantastic job; an unending job. They can really use (the money),” said Jenich. “I think that it’s a very worthwhile project and there are many on our board who feel very much the same.”

The morning after The Big Pack, buses from area schools arrived at Glad Tidings to help in distributing the food. It will then be sent home with students in need before the Christmas school break begins.

For more information on 31 Backpacks, including how to donate or volunteer for future events, find them online at 31backpacks.com, find them on Facebook, or call them at (906)231-1472 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays or from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.