For students who come to school hungry, there is a safety net: classroom snacks and the state lunch program. In the past, when those kids leave campus and head home for the weekend, they are on their own.

For the last three years, Orcas School has been trying to fill the gap so kids aren’t hungry on their days off. The Weekend Packs for Kids program provides a grocery bag of goodies for students to bring home on Friday.

“Because of the design of the program, we try to be healthy but also provide food that kids can make at home without an oven,” said K-8 Principal Kyle Freeman.

Items include cup of noodles, juice, milk, cereal, chips, crackers, granola bars, fruit, tuna and fruit snacks. Some bags are customized for specific needs – one family only eats vegetarian.

The pilot program was launched after Freeman saw how many kids were using the state’s free and reduced breakfast/lunch program. It’s a number that has grown steadily. Four years ago, 30 percent of the student body was part of the program. Last year it was nearly 60 percent. In addition, the elementary office hands out apples as a daily snack.

“We go through apples by the case,” Freeman said.

Islander Rita Bailey was instrumental in getting Weekend Packs for Kids off the ground. She has now handed over the reins to School Counselor and “Readiness to Learn” Specialist Nancy O’Brien, PTSA Board Member Kate Long and volunteers Kiki Coe and Bobbie Cunningham. The first year saw around 30 participants. This year, 44 kids are bringing home a grocery bag of food on Friday afternoon. The kinds of families who sign up range from single parents to working families.

At the start of the school year, K-8 parents receive a letter explaining program. There are no requirements to participate.

“We don’t ask how you use it,” Freeman said. “We were amazed at how fast they signed up and how many bags line up in the hall … It’s hard enough to ask for help or take help. This is here and available and we don’t ask questions.”

The school initially offered it to high school students as well, but are now encouraging older kids to use the food bank and state-funded food initiatives instead.

Finances for Weekend Packs for Kids are managed through the food bank with organizational help from PTSA. The yearly cost of running the program is $8,360. The Orcas Island Community Foundation approved a two-year grant of $5,000 in 2011, $3,500 has come in from the community and $3,000 in food items have been given so far.

It’s around $5 to create each bag of goodies. Island Market provides a lot of the food at cost; other items are purchased at Costco.

Another two-year grant has been submitted to OICF and they’ll find out in May if it’s been approved.

“But that’s just part of it,” Long said. “So donations are really welcome.”

For those who want to donate food, they need to be in quantities of at least 44. Things like Capri juice, granola bars, Ritz cheese and crackers, applesauce, pudding or fruit cups cups and cup of noodles are all welcome. Bailey says Island Market paper grocery bags can also be given.

“We will never turn away any food that is donated,” Bailey said. “If we don’t have enough for 44, we just mix and match.”

Freeman says there is still a need to provide food to kids in the summer. While the school tries to education families and students about the food bank, they are considering extending the Weekend Packs for Kids.

“We’ve talked about using the child care centers to connect with the kids during the summer,” Freeman said.