Good Shepherd Baptist Church, 1100 Cleveland Ave. in Amherst, is seeking donations to help the Weekend Food Program for students in Amherst.
The Weekend Food Program is designed to provide students with enough food to last through the weekend if they are facing food insecurity, according to co-organizer Melina Jordan.
“Good Shepherd started providing bags, and it started with 25 students,” Jordan said. “Teachers and counselors are the ones that recognize a need for whatever it is.”
The church helps provide food for 120 students who attend Marion L. Steele High, Amherst Jr. High, Nord Middle School and Powers Elementary, Jordan said.
Students enrolled in the program may be facing a number of challenges such as a parent losing their job, medical circumstances or they recently moved to the area, she said.
“We don’t have any children’s names, we don’t know any names or their circumstances,” Jordan said. “It’s whatever the hardship is in that family, but we don’t know those reasons, either.”
At least every other week, Jordan said she and her husband, Chris, who is co-organizer, shop for food using donations and focus on providing items that are easily opened, like a can with a tab.
All bags are packed with enough food to provide each student with two breakfasts, lunches and dinners and three snacks, she said.
“We’re never sure whether a parent is home with them or not,” Jordan said. “They have to be able to open these things by themselves if they need to.”
Items commonly collected are chicken noodle soup, ravioli, pasta rings, ramen, Granola bars, crackers, chips, fruit snacks, pudding, peanut butter, jelly, applesauce, fruit cups, breakfast bars, Pop Tarts, cereal and oatmeal.
It takes over an hour to pack the bags for the week, and the pair split filling bags for elementary school students versus the middle and high school students, she said.
“It takes a lot of prep time, a lot of shopping, a lot of unboxing, a lot of breaking down boxes,” Jordan said. “We usually alternate (food). It’s a variety of those things.”
Jordan said the church collects donations from both its members and the community.
The church also accepts money donations, she said.
It takes roughly $515 a week to feed all of the students on the list, Jordan said.
“All we can do is trust that it’s really making an impact on their lives and their family’s lives,” she said. “We’re really needing people to go ahead and jump on board with us, and support us so we can continue providing for the kids and encouraging them in their lives.”
For more information, call 440-988-4506.
Donations also are accepted through Zelle using [email protected].
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