HANCOCK – It was snowing fairly heavily Tuesday afternoon, but volunteers for 31 Backpacks braved the weather to unload a delivery truck full of food from the Community Action Agency food bank for the program.

31 Backpacks was created by Laurel Maki, her daughter Melissa Maki, and friend Amy Zawada in October 2013. They began the program after Laurel Maki learned some students were going hungry during the weekends. It provides enough food for a weekend packed into backpacks for students who may not otherwise have enough to eat. None of the people involved with the organization knows the identity of the students getting the food.

Melissa Maki said volunteers usually pick up items at the food bank in Houghton in their own vehicles, but there was so much food this time, it was delivered to Glad Tidings Church, where it is sorted into plastic bags for delivery to local school, then put into individual backpacks for the students in the program to take home.

Maki said five more students were added to the program on Tuesday, and although it’s a sad fact, the number being served keeps increasing.

“We are at 186 students,” she said. “It happens throughout the year. It just keeps going up.”

The program is in 15 buildings in nine local school districts, Maki said.

Besides non-perishable food items, Maki said each child gets fresh fruits and vegetables in the backpack.

Rather than donations of food, Maki said it’s requested that donations be monetary to help them buy food that’s more suited to what a child can prepare for him or herself.

Donations can be sent to 1100 Century Way Suite C Houghton 49931.

Maki said volunteers will take part in the organization’s large volume pack at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 21 at Glad Tidings, which provides enough food for students to last during the holiday school break. There are enough volunteers for the pack, but volunteers are still needed to set up for the pack on Dec. 18 and 19 at the church. Those interested in volunteering for the set up can e-mail at 31backpacks@gmail.com, or call Laurel Maki at 231-1472.

Laurel Maki said a regular donor has offered $1,000 if the organization can raise $1,000 by Dec. 31.