Our church along with other community churches is working with local elementary schools to help insure disadvantaged elementary school children do not go hungry over the weekend. It has been brought to our attention that there are children who are on the free or reduced breakfast and lunch program, and that is their main meal for the day. The counselors at the elementary schools identify children who are at risk and each child receives a backpack of food on Friday to take home for the weekend.
Once a week two volunteers at St. Julian’s pack 10 backpacks with non-perishable items. We put in our weekly announcements what items we need, and members of the parish respond with donations. The backpacks are stuffed and delivered by Wednesdays to Annette Winn Elementary. They include 2 breakfast items, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, and snacks. Hopefully, this helps the children and their parents through the weekend.
We also realize this is a problem for holidays as well. So, during the long breaks at school and long weekends our church packs larger boxes for the families which have to be picked up. The children and their families are very appreciative. We are also very fortunate that we have parishioners who pick up little extras when they purchase their groceries, so this is not a burden at all on any one person. It is a community outreach program.
We continue to need the regular items that we provide on a weekly basis and that you don’t even have to go out of your way to help; just buy a few of the items that we provide (individual packs of oatmeal, cereal, canned pasta, ramen noodles, canned tuna, peanut butter, 100% juice, fruit cups and UHT milk are just some examples) while you are shopping and bring them with you to church on Sunday. For additional information please contact Julie Hudson for information.