WALLACE — Last week, the Feed Our Hungry Children Backpack Ministry held a special ceremony at Wallace Methodist Church to celebrate a dedicated group of volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that children from food-insecure homes in Duplin County don’t go hungry.
Connie Perkins, co-director of the backpack ministry, spoke about the collaborative effort that goes behind the scenes and recognized the various teams involved. Volunteers handle the logistics including shopping, packing, and delivering the backpacks, while school social workers let them know how many backpacks are needed at the schools and discreetly distribute them to protect student privacy.
Food insecurity remains a pressing issue across the state. In Duplin County, nearly one in four children live in food-insecure households.
“Over the years, I have seen the need from children that come to school without adequate food,” the retired schoolteacher told Duplin Journal. She explained that those who work closely with vulnerable populations—especially in schools—witness the effects of food insecurity daily.
“In Duplin County, 23% of the children under the age of 18 live in food-insecure homes,” said Perkins, explaining that school children from these households struggle to learn, concentrate, and stay healthy. Additionally, these children are often absent from school more frequently, which adversely impacts their learning ability.
Feed Our Hungry Children transitioned to a backpack ministry in 2009. Initially, the organization helped pay for school meals for children who didn’t qualify for free or reduced lunches but still faced hunger during the nine months of the school year. Recognizing a growing need over the weekends, they began distributing backpacks filled with food on Fridays to help children who might otherwise go hungry.
The program has grown significantly—from distributing 25 backpacks weekly across five elementary and middle schools to now providing 266 bags per week, along with 15 additional backpacks for Wallace Rose Hill High School once a month. Their reach extends into the summer, with 900 backpacks distributed last summer alone. In total, last year, between school months and the summer, the backpack ministry distributed 7,086 backpacks in Duplin County.

Perkins also highlighted the ministry’s partnerships with churches and civic groups, noting that the program’s effectiveness relies on a dedicated network of supporters and volunteers.
“They are everything to the ministry. They’re the ones that make the ministry a success,” Perkins told Duplin Journal, expressing deep gratitude for the volunteers, and crediting them as the backbone of the operation. She also stressed the importance of continued support from donors, grants, and community partners who give back to the community and help provide for the students who need nutritional assistance.
“We have donations from supporting churches and businesses, social groups, civic organizations, individuals, and then we do apply for grants, and we have been very fortunate that we have received substantial grant funding,” said Perkins. “The program is a little bit fluid in that if a school needs to add more students during the course of the year, we make a way to do that. We have some very generous individuals, particularly our churches in the area.”
Ultimately, Perkins shared that they also hoped to increase awareness among community leaders, pastors, and local organizations about the impact of the program and its ongoing need for support.
Perkins shared that while volunteers do not interact directly with students because of confidentiality, feedback from social workers and school staff highlights the program’s profound impact.
“We do hear how important it is and what a blessing it is to the students that we serve. They are very appreciative of what is done for their students,” she said.