Summer Meals for Kids (SMFK), completed its 8th year of service, supporting needy students from our local public schools. We worked again with Williamsburg Baptist Church, Williamsburg Community Chapel, and Williamsburg Presbyterian church to prepare and assemble lunches each Wednesday from June 17th through August 19th . Additional area churches covered the other days of the week, including two summer holidays. We fed approximately 300 children who receive free or reduced lunch/ breakfast when school is in session. This program is not funded by the state or federal government but by generous businesses, local churches and other donors. Meals on Wheels and WISC provide space for this important work.
The team leader of WHBC’s outreach to Summer Meals for Kids was Ginnie Szczypinski. She attended a joint Women on Mission meeting, a Mission & Evangelization committee meeting, and spoke to the congregation for a Mission Moment one Sunday. Mrs. Szczypinski explained the program, encouraged donations to the box ministry, introduced the option to give a special offering. She also shared how church members and visitors could sign up to go to WISC to fill bento boxes or pack snack bags and provide home baked cookies or brownies for Wednesday mornings. The team leader position included delivering cookies, organizing the work and problem solving on three Wednesday mornings at WISC. The team leader also provided this summary report. This year was the first time, church members and visitors were given the opportunity to submit a special offering to SMFK, via the church office during the month of June. The gift totaled $2560.
Women On Mission collected supplies for SMFK through the box ministry in the months of April and May. The Annette Hall group also gave $100 to the program in August when supplies for lunches were running low. Walnut Hills ladies provided approximately 1104 cookies/brownies. Eighteen women prepared two dozen baked treats, packed two per snack bag, for inclusion in lunch bags. Several ladies did so multiple times. Other items included in the lunch bag were a breakfast bar, fruit cup, small container of fruit juice, and another snack (pretzels, crackers with filling, Rice Krispy treats, or chips). The bento boxes included a main dish and side item. Foods were selected to be healthy and kid friendly. Thirteen volunteers from WHBC filled bags or packed and sealed bento boxes. Several of those volunteered two-three times, totaling 21 WHBC workers over the summer Wednesdays. This year we had three more WHBC men volunteer.
The participation and generosity of our church was greatly appreciated by the Meals on wheels staff and most certainly by the recipients and their parents.
Goals for next year:
- To continue increased participation beyond the members of Women on Mission.
- To continue an opportunity for a special offering. It is also hoped that the church will help fund SMFK through budgeted monies of the Mission & Evangelization committee.
- To schedule the box ministry in May and possibly April each year.
- For WHBC to embrace this program as an important and valued ministry to our community.
