People Helping People

Weekend Blessings is a unique program designed to feed our preschool through high school students whose families are deemed in need or food insecure based on criteria in place at the school level. Better test scores, improved reading skills, positive behavior, improved health and increased attendance have all been attributed to making sure kids are provided food, especially during the weekend when schools or other agencies are not in session. 

Every Friday, students in schools that participate in the program receive bags filled with food for the weekend. On Monday, students return to school ready to learn and the cycle continues each week of the school year and during school breaks through other options. The bags include 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, and snacks. These items are kid friendly, such as granola bars, individual cereal boxes, peanut butter, tuna, pasta with meat, juice boxes, snack fruit cups, etc. and easy to prepare.

Weekend Blessings is administered, operated and funded by People Helping People in Hernando County through individual donations, grants (in particular, Suncoast Credit Union and United Way partnerships) and food drives. Groups from local civic organizations, churches and religious groups partner with PHP by often providing the logistical support needed to operate the program by packing and delivery of the bags of food. Food is purchased mainly through the Community Food Bank so that PHP is able to keep costs low. This program currently serves nearly 500 children each week through Hernando County schools, Hernando County Head Start programs, and other programs and agencies that care for children in need.

PHP also has a Summer Blessings version of the Weekend Blessings program to help provide children throughout Hernando County who are in need of extra food when school is not in session. Once schools reopen, Weekend Blessings then continues to our regular program of distribution throughout the schools, other agencies that serve children who may not be participating in typical brick and mortar school buildings, and offering food pickup at several locations to serve the “at home” school population, those participating in E-School, or Distance Learning.

PHP...taking a bite out of hunger in Hernando County!

Thank you to our Weekend Blessings sponsors

• Individual Cereal Packs
• Cereal/Granola Bars
• Canned Pasta with Meat
• Canned Chili (with beans)
• Canned Beef Stew
• Canned Soup
• Pork and Beans
• Franks and Beans
• Vienna Sausage
• Tuna Salad or Chicken Salad with Crackers
• Shelf Stable milk OR powdered milk
•  Juice Boxes 6 oz.
• 16 oz. Peanut Butter/Jelly
• Crackers in Individual Serving Packets
•  Fruit Cups
• Single Serve Ramen Noodle Cups
• Single Serve Macaroni & Cheese Cups
• Single Serve Apple Sauce Cups
• Pudding Snack Packs

                    SCHOOL                                              SPONSOR