Backpack Program set to play critical role in providing nutrition to West Holmes school kids
The Food Pantry at the Millersburg Church of God, NewPointe Community Church and West Holmes School District are again teaming up to provide nutritional weekend meals for students district-wide who receive free or reduced-fee lunches.
“Dear Dave: I want to thank you for the food you give us. It keeps our bellies from being hungry.”
That hand-written letter from a West Holmes School District youngster to Pastor Dave Masters, Millersburg Church of God pastor and director of the Backpack School Project in West Holmes School District, is a shining example of the impact the weekend school lunch program has created over the past three years.
The Backpack Program is a collaborative effort between the Food Pantry at Millersburg Church of God, NewPointe Community Church and the West Holmes School District to provide nutritional weekend meals to kids in need.
From its humble beginnings to a program that last year saw more than 250 West Holmes students taking home a paper bag filled with fresh fruit, canned meals, macaroni and cheese, and healthy snacks and cereal among other food items, the backpack program has been a welcomed addition by the families who have taken advantage of the generosity of others.
“You read a letter like that, and it makes your heart ache and sing at the same time,” Masters said. “It’s touching. There are a lot of hurting families in our school district who need our help, good families who are trying hard to do the right thing. Sometimes we just face an uphill climb that makes life tough.”
Several years ago the Pantry at Millersburg Church of God recognized a serious need in the community when they began to understand the plight of many area families who were struggling to put food on the table for their children. While the students on free or reduced lunches were receiving a meal at school, once the weekend came, they were often left to fend for themselves.
Thus the pantry created the Backpack Food Program, in which it makes weekly bags of food that are designed to get a student through the weekend. Oftentimes the child will share with their family, so the program tries to give an abundant bag of food.
“We have had a very high success rate of over 99 percent with these bags making it home and being consumed,” Masters said. “We’re making a difference, an impact, and that is exciting to see.”
The food itself provided in the bags is actually the least expensive part of the program because the Food Pantry works closely with the Akron-Canton Foodbank to purchase its food inexpensively. They also are fortunate to have a number of area grocers provide food.
The Akron-Canton Foodbank delivers food to NewPointe every Thursday morning, where volunteers meet each Thursday afternoon to package the backpacks full of food. The bags are then picked up Friday morning by the Food Pantry and delivered to each participating school.
In the 2015-16 school year, the program distributed 3,854 backpacks. Last year that number grew to 6,849 backpacks.
While the number of participating students in the program has risen to 250 students, Masters said that number could be a great deal higher with more than 600 students eligible through the free and reduced lunch programs.
“All it takes to get on board with the Backpack Program is to fill out a very simple form,” Masters said. “It takes next to no time to complete, and the benefits are so wonderful, and we would love to see more students get involved.”
Masters said he was in the same shoes as many of these children growing up, so he understands the hunger, and that has given him a real heart to help area families keep their children fed.
The Backpack Program forms may be obtained from all the West Holmes district schools, and only the school system knows the name of each child. Even the Food Pantry crew only gets a number that is associated with each student to maintain as much anonymity as possible.
Masters said the budget for the program is set at $5,000 with fuel for the truck, truck maintenance, the purchase of brown paper bags, a stapler and staples to secure the bags, and the food making up the majority of expenses.
That helps the Backpack Program provide each student with two meals and two snacks each weekend throughout the school year for $18 or 50 cents per meal per child.
“We have had a number of individuals and businesses who have helped support this program and make it possible,” Masters said. “Those donations, no matter how big or small, make the difference, and if I can just help people see that they don’t have to carry the load, just provide a small gift, that means so much.”
Anyone wishing to donate to the Backpack Program may do so by calling Masters at 330-231-7058 or by simply sticking a check in the mail and sending it to the Food Pantry at Millersburg Church of God, 10643 state Route 39, Millersburg, OH 44654. Add the word “Backpack” on the memorandum line of the check. Another way to give is by stopping by the Food Pantry booth at the Holmes County Fair for free water and coffee to learn more about the program or to make a donation.
The Food Pantry also is seeking anyone willing to donate meat from the Junior Livestock Fair. If anyone wishes to do that, they only ask that the meat be put into 1-pound packs for easy distribution to area families.