by Joyce Mills
Sadly, hunger is real for 1 in 4 children in our community. 1 = too many!
The objective of Beckley First Baptist Church’s Backpack Program is to fight childhood hunger in our community by filling the weekend food gap for children in need. Our program reduces the negative impacts of hunger so children are ready to learn in school and succeed in life.
So picture this…………
On any Friday, 19 kids go to the office at Beckley Elementary in what has become a weekly ritual: each picking up a backpack filled with nutritious food so they won’t go hungry over the weekend.
The children don’t like to talk about being hungry. So teachers rely on other clues. One thing that is noticed is that children who eat their lunch real quickly are the hungry ones. They often want second helpings. There are some children who seem sad that the weekend is coming. For students who rely on the school’s breakfast and lunch meals know that the weekends and holidays mean going without enough food. Knowing that on Friday afternoon they will be called to the office to pick up their backpack helps these children to know that the weekend will be better because someone cared enough to provide 6 meals and 2 snacks for them in a backpack. All food is child-friendly, packaged with set menus that include milk, proteins, fruit, vegetable, cereals and 100% fruit juices.
Thanks for your monetary gifts and the monthly food donation. For the month of March please bring all the individual cups of applesauce that you can carry. Place them on the back counter in the church kitchen. YOU are appreciated! Our Back-pack Program is 100% volunteer run. Your tax deductible donation can make an immediate and lasting impact on hungry kids.