Snack Packs
Glen Oak Christian Church which is located on the East Bluff of Peoria, Illinois at the corner of Atlantic and Republic began a pilot weekend snack pack ministry in September 2012. During 2012-2013 the ministry served the children, families and teachers of Glen Oak Community Learning Center a K-6 Peoria Public School located two blocks from the church. The first snack packs were shared with 269 children and families who had completed the participation process and by the end of the school year over 600 children had received at least one snack pack during the year and the last delivery in May 2013 was for 552 personalized named snack packs containing four individually wrapped food items.
Now after eight years of this ministry, we serve four Peoria Public Schools at five locations (Glen Oak Community Learning Center 750; Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center 436; and Kellar Primary 171 and the fifth and sixth grades at Charles A. Lindbergh Middle School 73) each week of the school year totaling over 43000 weekend snack packs for children and their families!
This entire program is a collaboration with school, church and community. From the sharing of food from the Midwest Food Bank 25%; purchasing food 75% made possible by churches, individuals, groups and a grant from the Community Foundation of Central Illinois; packing the weekly snack packs by 25-30 volunteers and the distribution of the snack packs by teachers, students and staff at the schools. As we work together we are making a difference in so many lives. Participants include Glen Oak Christian Church, First Christian Church – Peoria, Memorial Christian Church, University United Methodist, Church Women United-Peoria Area, Community Workshop and Training Center, EPIC, St. Mary’s School and Parish in Kickapoo, Downtown Peoria Rotary Downtown and many individual gifts support the program which has a cost of $50,000. Over the school year we have shared nearly 54,000 Snack Packs with 1396 students. “Someone cares enough to share with me” as we work together each week to make this possible. The benefits are so many to so many. Having a purpose and helping others is a great value.
We continue to contact others who have expressed interest in this food ministry - additional volunteers, possible new school sites and funding sources.
Now after eight years of this ministry, we serve four Peoria Public Schools at five locations (Glen Oak Community Learning Center 750; Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center 436; and Kellar Primary 171 and the fifth and sixth grades at Charles A. Lindbergh Middle School 73) each week of the school year totaling over 43000 weekend snack packs for children and their families!
This entire program is a collaboration with school, church and community. From the sharing of food from the Midwest Food Bank 25%; purchasing food 75% made possible by churches, individuals, groups and a grant from the Community Foundation of Central Illinois; packing the weekly snack packs by 25-30 volunteers and the distribution of the snack packs by teachers, students and staff at the schools. As we work together we are making a difference in so many lives. Participants include Glen Oak Christian Church, First Christian Church – Peoria, Memorial Christian Church, University United Methodist, Church Women United-Peoria Area, Community Workshop and Training Center, EPIC, St. Mary’s School and Parish in Kickapoo, Downtown Peoria Rotary Downtown and many individual gifts support the program which has a cost of $50,000. Over the school year we have shared nearly 54,000 Snack Packs with 1396 students. “Someone cares enough to share with me” as we work together each week to make this possible. The benefits are so many to so many. Having a purpose and helping others is a great value.
We continue to contact others who have expressed interest in this food ministry - additional volunteers, possible new school sites and funding sources.
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