WEEKEND’S GAME. THIS TEEN ASSEMBLY LINE IS A WELL-OILED MACHINE ON A MISSION. THEY COME ONCE A MONTH, USUALLY ON A SUNDAY EVENING, TO PACK BAGS, AND IT ALLOWS US TO PACK OVER 1800 BAGS A WEEK. TEENAGERS FROM THREE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS ARE TOGETHER IN PIKESVILLE TO PACK BAGS FOR THEIR PEERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR FAMILIES HAVE FOOD ON THE TABLE. THE GROUP WEEKEND BACKPACKS HAS A MOTTO BECAUSE HUNGER DOESN’T TAKE WEEKENDS OFF. WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING FOOD ON THE WEEKENDS. WE DO KNOW THAT THEY RECEIVE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH BOTH IN BALTIMORE CITY AND BALTIMORE COUNTY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. BUT ON THE WEEKENDS, THEY COULD GO WITHOUT. SO THAT’S WHERE WE COME IN TO BRIDGE THAT GAP. THE TEENS ARE FILLING THE BAGS WITH THINGS LIKE PASTA, APPLESAUCE, POTATOES, AND MUCH MORE. WE USE THE SAME METHOD OF THINKING ABOUT OUR FOOD THAT THE MARYLAND FOOD BANK DOES IN THEIR PANTRIES. SO THAT IS TO ASSIGN FOOD CATEGORIES. GREEN IS CHOOSE OFTEN, YELLOW IS CHOOSE OCCASIONALLY, AND RED IS CHOOSE RARELY. SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BAGS ARE ALWAYS AT LEAST 50% GREEN AND NEVER MORE THAN 20 OR 30% RED. AND EVERYONE HERE SAYS THEY ARE HAPPY TO HELP BECAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS SOMEONE OUT THERE LIKE THAT COULD USE THIS TYPE OF HELP. SO JUST GIVING MY E AND I’LL BE OUT HERE MY SISTER ACTUALLY, SHE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO SHE STARTED VOLUNTEERING HERE. AND THEN ONE DAY I CAME WITH HER AND JUST HAVEN’T STOPPED. OH MY GOSH, IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY. LIKE IT REALLY BRINGS A LOT OF JOY TO MY HEART THAT KNOWING THAT I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE FULL BAGS AND FULL HEARTS. REPORTING IN BALTIMORE C
Advertisement
Ravens Honor Rows: 'Weekend Backpacks' works to ensure no family goes hungry
Another home game means the Baltimore Ravens will recognize another youth group for its hard work helping communities."Weekend Backpacks" will get to sit in "Ravens Honor Rows" at this weekend's primetime game.The group's teen assembly line is a well-oiled machine on a mission. Teenagers from three different high schools come together in Pikesville to pack bags for their peers to ensure their families have food on the table."They come once a month, usually on a Sunday evening, to pack bags, and it allows us to pack over 1,800 bags a week," Denise Comaromi, a board member and volunteer, said."Weekend Backpacks" has a motto: "Because hunger doesn't take weekends off.""We have a lot of students who are not receiving food on the weekends. We do know that they receive breakfast and lunch both in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Monday through Friday, but on the weekends, they could go without. So, that's where we come in to bridge that gap," Comaromi said.The teens are filling the bags with foods like pasta, applesauce, potatoes and much more."We use the same method of thinking about our food that the Maryland Food Bank does in their pantries," Alexandra Gilbert, the organization's director of operations, said. "So, that is to assign the food to categories: Green is 'choose often,' yellow is 'choose occasionally,' and red is 'choose rarely.' So, we try to make sure that our bags are always at least 50% green and never more than 20% or 30% red."Everyone at the organization is happy to help."There's always someone out there like that could use this type of help. So, (I) just give it my all," Mike Brown, a 17-year-old volunteer, said."My sister, actually, she was the first one, she started volunteering here. And then, one day, I came with her, (and I) just, like, haven't stopped," Alec Royle, a 16-year-old volunteer, said."Oh my gosh, it makes me so happy. Like, it really brings a lot of joy to my heart that knowing that I can make a difference in someone's life," Alyssa Hughes, a 17-year-old volunteer, said.Previous 2024 season Honor Rows stories:
PIKESVILLE, Md. —
Another home game means the Baltimore Ravens will recognize another youth group for its hard work helping communities.
"Weekend Backpacks" will get to sit in "Ravens Honor Rows" at this weekend's primetime game.
Advertisement
The group's teen assembly line is a well-oiled machine on a mission. Teenagers from three different high schools come together in Pikesville to pack bags for their peers to ensure their families have food on the table.
"They come once a month, usually on a Sunday evening, to pack bags, and it allows us to pack over 1,800 bags a week," Denise Comaromi, a board member and volunteer, said.
"Weekend Backpacks" has a motto: "Because hunger doesn't take weekends off."
"We have a lot of students who are not receiving food on the weekends. We do know that they receive breakfast and lunch both in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Monday through Friday, but on the weekends, they could go without. So, that's where we come in to bridge that gap," Comaromi said.
The teens are filling the bags with foods like pasta, applesauce, potatoes and much more.
"We use the same method of thinking about our food that the Maryland Food Bank does in their pantries," Alexandra Gilbert, the organization's director of operations, said. "So, that is to assign the food to categories: Green is 'choose often,' yellow is 'choose occasionally,' and red is 'choose rarely.' So, we try to make sure that our bags are always at least 50% green and never more than 20% or 30% red."
Everyone at the organization is happy to help.
"There's always someone out there like that could use this type of help. So, (I) just give it my all," Mike Brown, a 17-year-old volunteer, said.
"My sister, actually, she was the first one, she started volunteering here. And then, one day, I came with her, (and I) just, like, haven't stopped," Alec Royle, a 16-year-old volunteer, said.
"Oh my gosh, it makes me so happy. Like, it really brings a lot of joy to my heart that knowing that I can make a difference in someone's life," Alyssa Hughes, a 17-year-old volunteer, said.
Ravens Foundation, partners gift Weekend Backpacks with new van
Previous 2024 season Honor Rows stories:
'Best Buddies' chapter from Damascus High School honored with Raven's 'Honor Rows'
Get WBAL-TV 11 News on the go
