It is a need that knows no age.

"It affects from the youngest to the oldest,” said Joe Contreras.

It is also something that goes far beyond the home, and often times trickling into countless classroom's even right here in the Brazos Valley.

"Hunger doesn't take a holiday, it doesn't take a break," said Theresa Mangapora.

At Crockett Elementary no child goes home hungry. This Bryan elementary school is just one of many who are combining forces with the Brazos Valley Food Bank.

"They enjoy the food, it's healthy snacks for them," says Crockett Elementary principal Judy Joiner.

Each week, the food bank makes a special delivery. That delivery means thirty students will have a backpack filled with healthy food to take home to their families.

Each week the food bank delivers 660 bags of food to more 21 schools in five counties.

They enjoy the food, it's good healthy snacks for them and it's things most of the time, prepare and take care of on their own and they don't have to rely on somebody else, so it gives them the opportunity to be responsible for their own nutrition," says Joiner.

It is a need that grows each year, but won't be stopping the food bank from fighting hunger one backpack at a time.

You can help restock the food bank by participating in the 16th annual Food for Families Food Drive. It's December 7th beginning at 5:30 AM. KBTX will be live from Bryan, Madisonville and Navasota all day long accepting your generous donations of non-perishable food. We'll also take monetary donations. This is the largest fundraiser for the Brazos Valley Food Bank.