AIO Food & Energy Assistance is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its Weekend Meals Program, an initiative designed to ensure that students in Knox County have access to nutritious food even on the weekends!

More than 10 years ago, Sherry Cobb, AIO Board President at the time, recognized what most educators readily acknowledge – one of the key barriers to attendance, learning and behavior, is hunger. When students are well-fed, their ability to thrive in a classroom environment is so much more likely. In the spirit of supporting students and their ability to thrive, the “Backpack Program”, as it was known then, was started.

In 2025, while students receive free meals during the school week, many families struggle to provide sufficient food on Saturdays and Sundays when school is not in session. Our Weekend Meals Program strives to bridge this nutrition gap by providing healthy, easy-to-prepare food for children to take home each Friday afternoon. Our goal is for all students to return to school on Monday nourished, energized, and ready to learn.

Feeding America has estimated that 17.6% of Knox County’s children experience food insecurity. Alan Kearl, AIO’s Executive Director, emphasizes, “Food insecurity is a genuine concern for many families in Knox County and it doesn’t take weekends off. Our Weekend Meals Program is about more than food; it’s about providing children and young adults with a sense of stability and assurance that no one needs to go hungry.”

Currently, we are serving over 750 students across 18 schools in the region, and the program continues to grow thanks to the support of local donors, volunteers, and community partners. Each meal bag contains a thoughtful selection of foods carefully packed with nutrition, variety, and appeal in mind.

Families who would like to sign up their children to receive Weekend Meals should contact their child’s school administrator or counseling department to be added to the Weekend Meals Program.