South Bloomfield United Methodist Church Weekend and Winter Lunch Pack Ministry

During the school year, a free lunch meal doesn’t come out of the sparse family budget.

But what happens during the weekend or in the summer months? That’s when SBUMC Christians Who Care Ministries steps in with the weekend lunch program that ensures no elementary or middle school “the neediest of the needy” aged child in the Teays Valley School District leaves school worrying if or how they will eat that weekend. By providing a weekend pack to those in need, we want these children to know they are cared for and help them return to school on Monday with the energy needed for a successful week.

The lunch program was launched in the summer of 2016 by South Bloomfield United Methodist Church Women Ministries. School staff - guidance counselors, teachers, nurses and on-site social workers determine the students in need. The children’s names remain confidential. A letter is sent home with the child to ask the parents if they want to receive a Weekend Lunch Pack for their child.

What is a Lunch Pack Ministry?

Generally, SBUMC Lunch Pack Ministry provide a bag of nonperishable food to children in need so that they can take home and eat when school meal programs are unavailable. These bags are distributed at school to participating children in plastic or reusable bags by their teacher as they leave Friday or before a long break. Currently we are providing 48 Weekend Packs each week to most of the Teays Valley schools

Depending on the type of school or age of the students, food may also be distributed at the school office or in another central location inside or outside of the school. The contents of the bag can vary depending on the food and donations available. The contents of the bag contain about eight meals with pull top lids that a child can open themselves.

Items needed to launch the Lunch program:

• Food – monetary and food donations will be accepted at South Bloomfield United Methodist Church.      
  
• Plastic Lunch Bags.  The main idea is to have lunch bags that look like something every other kid is carrying.  We don’t want the recipients to feel like they stick out.  We need . durable plastic bags, like the ones you see in grocery stores.
• Volunteers – Schedule available to help pack lunches through the church office (740) 983-2110.
• Money – It will cost approximately $25 per child each month.  If enough variety and quantity of food donations are received, then very little to no food will need to be purchased. Monetary donations can be made to South Bloomfield United Methodist Church Women Who Care.

Contact for more information:

         2^nd Grader comments on their Weekend Pack.

The student is walking to their bus and sees their teacher from last year:

     Student: Hi, my book bag is really heavy on Friday’s.

    Teacher: It is ?

    Student: Yep, it’s because it’s filled with food. That makes Friday’s the best !