PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. –A local program is once again going to be coming together to pack boxes of food for local students who may need assistance during the summer months.

The Backpack Buddies Program, which helps students in Putnam County, Western Kanawha County, and Boone County, will be hosting its 13th Annual Community Packing Day Saturday June 7th at the Teays Valley Nazarene Church in Putnam County.

Backpack Buddy Director Doug Erwin, who was on 580 Live with Dave Allen Monday, says that this year they plan on packing over 3,000 boxes, which in turn will help hundreds of students in the Putnam area throughout the June and July months.

He said that the boxes include a variety of foods including cans of ravioli, soups, cereal bars, fruits, vegetables, pasta, oatmeal and more.

Erwin said that all volunteers are welcomed to help them pack the boxes.

“We say that we got a job for everybody from two to 92 years old, so we can actually put everyone to work, and we start at 10 o’clock and I promise you’ll be back in your car by noon, so give us two hours and you’ll be helping over 800 kids this summer,” he said.

He said the goal was to have at least 200 to 300 volunteers to help during the event.

He also encouraged students from teams, clubs, or any student that needs volunteer hours because they’ll have a community service certificate to hand out to come out and help.

Erwin says that this event turns out to be a great community event that has a lasting impact on the kids who do receive these boxes.

“We have a great time, we have a DJ playing some music, it’s just a great community event that comes together to help our kids that are less fortunate,” he said.

Students that receive lunches throughout the school year, which are provided by different organizations, are the main focus summer assistance, no student or family will be turned away, regardless of their economic situation.

The boxes will be shipped every two weeks to participating residents.

He said this event and the boxes they send out are to help give those community organizations a break during the summer months.

“Kind of giving those folks a break, to say hey recharge your batteries because their working 36 weeks out of the year because of how long the school year is and we help out in the summer months where we pack our boxes and we’ll mail boxes four to five times during the summer months to help those participating kids bridge that gap during the summer months,” Erwin said.

They will be hosting their next packing day in Boone County at the Madison Civic Center in Madison on June 14th beginning at 10 a.m.

To learn more about the program you can go to their website here or contact [email protected].