Audray Muscatello Yost, coordinator of the Kids' Weekend Backpack Program, checks the food included in the meals delivered by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank at Butler Intermidiate High School, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

The Butler Education Association held a food drive during the Golden Tornadoes’ football game Friday evening to benefit the Weekend Backpack Program.

The Weekend Backpack Program is designed to help children from low-income families get access to food during the weekends, said Marina Lagattuta, a high school English teacher running the food drive.

“For some students, school is the only time they get to eat,” Lagattuta said.

The drive accepts nonperishable and single-serve items as they will be split among multiple bags, Lagattuta said. The drive also accepts cash donations.

“We’ll take anything we can,” said Lagattuta.

The drive is a semiannual event that’s hosted once in the Fall and again in the Spring. Lagattuta said the fall drive is usually hosted during a football game while the spring drive is usually during the school’s Fine Arts & Beyond (FAB) Showcase event.

Hosting this event is not only beneficial for the students it helps but for the teachers and volunteers as well. Before the food drive, the teachers will hold a gathering to discuss planning for the event, allowing them to connect with one another on the shared value of supporting students.

“It’s a good team building event while helping the community,” said Lagattuta.

While Lagattuta has only been teaching at Butler for a few years, she said she has seen how important this drive and the program are for students. She said recipients are always grateful, and they always come up and say ‘thank you.’

“People have come up to us or the director and said ‘you’re saving us,’” Lagattuta said. “I would say it’s a very much needed program.”

For those who could not attend tonight’s event but still want to help, Lagattuta said they should come to other events and keep an open mind when people discuss helping low-income families.

Families of students in Butler Area’s K-4 elementary schools can apply to receive packaged items by visiting www.goldentornadoscholasticfoundation.org. The website also provides information on how to donate.