Photo courtesy of 31 Backpacks 31 BackPacks bags conducted its winter break Big Pack earlier this week, which distributes food and other items to low-income families with K-12 students, or those who have been negatively impacted by repeated Coronavirus-related shutdowns.

HOUGHTON — Thirty-One Backpacks conducted its conducted its Big Pack earlier this week, which organization co-founder, Laurel Maki, said went well. Due to Coronavirus precautions, however, the project was handled with a much smaller than usual staff.

“it took us longer to get ready and get set up,” she said, “to purchase the set up and to actually pack, but it went well.”

31 Backpacks is a local non-profit organization that helps to provide food for children of low-income families throughout the Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD) during weekends and school holidays, as these children often rely on meals provided through the school system for as many as 10 meals each week. The organization also provides personal hygiene products and cleaning products, which cannot be purchased through government assistance programs.

“Normally what we do is fill in the gap on the weekends,” said co-founder Melissa Maki. “The kids are getting free or subsidized food at school during the week, and we provide stuff (for them) on the weekends. The Big Pack covers the gap for Winter Break and Spring Break, which varies from nine to 16 days. This time, it’s 16 days.”

Something new for the Big Pack, she added, was that for the first time, the organization provided for families within the L’Anse and Baraga schools.

Repeated school and business shutdowns have had a significant negative impact on the regional economy, which even in better times, cannot adequately sustain its population. Disruptions in the economy result in shortfalls in the personal finances of families, especially areas like the western Upper Peninsula, which was already below state average of annual incomes. The 31 Backpacks organization has seen the impact already, both with the spring school closures, and this fall’s second closure.

For this Big Pack, Maki said, for the first time, they received requests from the L’Anse and Baraga schools. Maki compared statistics between the period of the Winter Break of 2019-20 to this year’s 2020-21 break.

“So, our numbers at Spring Break were at 225 (families), then when the shutdown happened, we shot up to over 2,100.”

Those numbers have come back down, she said, but the numbers remain substantial.

Rather than go about looking at individual students, as is done with weekly packs, Laurel and Melissa asked the schools to identify families.

Laurel wanted to relieve potential concerns with families, and said from start to finish, 31 Backpacks does not know the names of families, or students. The schools work with the families, compile the numbers, and convey the need to the organization. For example, she said, for this Big Pack, food and hygiene products were packed for a total of 136 families throughout the CCISD. The items were bagged for each school or district, then, this past Wednesday, the schools sent buses or trucks to pick up items for their district. This time, said Laurel, they sent food and products for 136 families throughout the CCISD.

The organization is a blessing to the students who rely on it. Laura said that she and Melissa have heard from many people throughout the community that 31 Backpacks makes a significant difference to the K-12 students.

“A lot of kids actually dreaded the holiday season in particular,” said Laurel, “because they know they’re going home and there might not be something there for them to eat in the pantry.”

Those children, she said, think the organization is the greatest thing.

“So, the other thing we did,” she said, “each family got a gift card for a local grocery store, so they could buy the perishable items, such as milk and butter and meats.”

“The other thing to keep in mind,” she said, “is with the Snap Program or Bridge Card, food stamps or whatever you call it, you can’t buy personal hygiene or cleaning products.”

These include basic products, such as shampoo, hair conditioner, body wash, tooth brushes, tooth paste, combs, brushes, and other items necessary to hygiene.