Mountain Lion Backpack Program resumes packing for school year

ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — With the school year already underway for kids in the Altoona Area School District, the Mountain Lion Backpack Program is right on schedule with them.

The program feeds over 1,000 elementary students in the district with healthy, individually wrapped, child-friendly food items for all 35 weeks of the school year.

“We’ve had a lot of volunteers. We’ve done very well so far. We’re very pleased. Obviously, it’s a long year, though, so we need all the help we can get with volunteers and food donations,” David Aboud, Program Manager for the Mountain Lion Backpack Program said.

Earlier this week the program held their second annual Drive Out Hunger Golf Outing to raise additional funds.

“We have a large student population in our city and we obviously have a lot of need,” Aboud said.

Next month, the Mountain Lion Backpack Program will have a ‘Battle of the Backpacks’. It’s where they give businesses a list of all the foods they use and ask them to put out boxes so their employees and customers can bring in any donations that will help the program.

You can find out more about how to donate and what can be donated on the Mountain Lion Backpack Program website .

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Volunteers are always needed for packing. Normally, packing takes place on Thursdays but can change based on the school district’s calendar. The 2024-25 packing schedule can be found here .

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