First United Church's Summer Foods Program has been a lifeline for children in the apartment communities since its inception in 2012. The program began when a staff member from No Kid Hungry visited the church to discuss the state program, sparking a mission to provide nutritious meals to low-income families during the summer months. Most kids qualify for free or reduced lunches during the school year in the served neighborhoods. The program helps fill that need during the summer when school is out.
Rev. Joshua Bland, Director of Missions and Outreach at First Church, highlights the program's impact: "While schools are out of session, we take the opportunity to provide free lunches at two apartment complexes. This program seeks to serve students and families by providing a resource to help address food insecurity. In addition to a meal that students can take and eat at home, each student receives a snack pack similar to those we prepare during the school year. As we at First United Methodist Church Springdale seek to go into the world in mission, this program allows us to share life with our neighbors as we embody the love of God for those around us."
A Day in the Life of the Summer Foods Program
Each Monday, volunteers and staff gather at the church by 9:00 a.m., ready to prepare and package the meals for the day. By 11:15 a.m., the meals are packed into insulated bags and loaded onto a truck, ready for delivery. Upon arrival at the apartment complexes in the Monitor Elementary School district, they join up with teachers from Monitor Elementary School. These dedicated educators knock on doors, greet children, hand out books, and distribute meals. This interaction ensures the children receive nutritious food and allows teachers to check on their well-being and connect with new families in the community.
Overcoming Challenges and Ensuring Quality
One of the main challenges is sourcing nutritious, kid-friendly foods. The program leverages Northwest Arkansas Food Bank resources and purchases most supplies from Sam's Club. The church secured a grant from the 200,000 More Reasons initiative of the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church to help with funding. The state's nutritional guidelines and food buying guide also help ensure the meals are both nutritious and sufficient in quantity.
Janelle Sluyter, Director of Food Service at First Church, shares: "It's nice for us to connect directly with the kids and families that come through. While they are here, we encourage them to check out our free library. We could not do this program without volunteers. Although the state reimburses us for the meals served to kids, the meals would be considerably less desirable if we had to spend more money on people and less on food."
The Heart of the Program: Volunteers
The program thrives thanks to the dedicated volunteers who prepare meals, deliver food, and interact with the children and families. This effort involves teachers and church members volunteering.
Martha Frits, a teacher at Monitor Elementary and a Summer Foods volunteer, says: "It just makes my heart warm when I see these kids."
Melinda Montgomery, another volunteer and teacher at Monitor Elementary, adds, "I just know it is very mission-minded. Loving on the kids and taking care of the kids—I love that. It is all very rewarding to see the people you work with every day coming together for such a beautiful cause. Getting some food in the kids' bellies and books in their hands—it's all very rewarding."
Building Connections and Changing Lives
The Summer Foods Program is more than just a meal service; it's a community effort that builds connections and changes lives. Andi Acuff, Principal at Monitor Elementary, emphasizes this: "It's connections with families. We find new kids here who haven't enrolled in school yet. We make connections with them before school even starts. Lots of connections with families we know, but new families too."
Through the program, First United Church embodies its goal of going forth in mission, ensuring that these kids don't go hungry and that every family feels supported and connected.
Acknowledging the Volunteers
The program's success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the volunteers. Janelle Sluyter reflects on her gratification at work: "It's been very fulfilling to work with so many great people over the years. Many show me true compassion, flexibility, and selflessness every week and remind me to do better."
The First United Church's Summer Foods Program stands as a beacon of hope and support, nourishing the community's bodies and souls. As it continues to grow and adapt, the program remains an example of what we can achieve when we show God's love to our most vulnerable members.
