Charlotte Observer Logo

Backpack Meals Ministry helps feed needy kids on the weekends | Charlotte Observer

×
  • E-edition
  • Customer Service
  • Advertise
  • Newsletters

    • News
    • Local
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Election
    • Politics
    • Nation/World
    • Special Reports
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Corrections
    • Columnists
    • Retro Charlotte
    • Your Schools
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Sports
    • Carolina Panthers
    • Charlotte Hornets
    • That's Racin'
    • High Schools
    • College Sports
    • Charlotte Knights/MLB
    • Other Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Inside the Panthers
    • Inside the NBA
    • Prep Insiders
    • Scott Fowler
    • Tom Sorensen
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • RNC 2020
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Stocks Center
    • Top Workplaces
    • National Business
    • What's in Store
    • Development
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Living
    • Religion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Family
    • Home & Garden
    • CLT Style
    • Travel
    • Living Here Guide
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • I'll Bite
    • Kathleen Purvis
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Arts/Culture
    • Events
    • Movie News & Reviews
    • Restaurants
    • Music/Nightlife
    • Television
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Rewards
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Kevin Siers
    • Letters
    • Submit an Op-ed
    • Submit a Letter
    • Viewpoint
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • O-Pinion
    • You Write The Caption
    • Taylor Batten
    • Peter St. Onge
  • Celebrations
  • Obituaries
  • TV Listings

  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Place an ad
  • Mobile & Apps

  • MomsCharlotte
  • Carolina Bride Magazine
  • South Park Magazine

Lake Norman & Mooresville

Backpack Meals Ministry helps feed needy kids on the weekends

By Sandra Phillips - Correspondent

    ORDER REPRINT →

December 02, 2014 12:00 AM

Fewer children in Mooresville Graded and Iredell-Statesville schools are going to bed hungry on weekends. Food for Days: A Backpack Meals Ministry is the reason.

President John Saunders’ dream of feeding hungry children has become a reality. With the support of First Baptist Church, he began Backpack Meals Ministry five years ago. A few volunteers filled 10 backpacks for one school each week.

Since then, Backpack Meals has grown and evolved into Food for Days. Today the ministry has a permanent home at Suite 1B, 224 Rolling Hill Road. With 14 church partners and individual sponsors, the organization feeds children in all Mooresville schools and eight Iredell-Statesville schools.

Although other backpack ministries serve some I-SS schools, there’s a need for more. Food for Days plans to add two Iredell-Statesville schools. As the 501(c)3 nonprofit helps additional children, it requires the community’s help. Church partners, along with individual and corporate sponsors, are needed.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Volunteers are an integral component. They logged over 2,000 hours last year. One corporate sponsor, Niagara Water, donates bottled water and sends a team to the Mooresville packing site each Thursday.

For the first time, some children in a school are on a waiting list. Last year 30 children requested help. Due to changing circumstances, the number of youngsters requiring weekend meals has increased to 83.

With the help of a church partner, Food for Days is feeding 46 of the 83 kids. The organization needs another partner and/or sponsors to help feed the other 27 children.

“There is an urgency to get the word out,” said Karen Swan, executive administrator.

The nonprofit serves children who are identified by school counselors and participate in the Federal Free and Reduced Meal program.

A typical weekend menu consists of six meals, four snacks and two beverages. The organization buys nutritious food in bulk and relies on volunteers to pack bags and deliver them to schools for Friday distribution.

“We do the absolute best we can in trying to purchase food in large quantities and getting the cost of items down as much as we can,” said Swan.

An individual can sponsor one child for $250 a school year. That’s about $5.50 for meals over the weekend.

One mom wrote a note of appreciation when her family left Food for Days. Her husband, who had been out of work almost two years, had found a job.

Once a child is accepted, the youngster remains in the program until the family no longer requires help.

“It’s important to have sustainable support for children,” Swan said.

The ministry looks at the total needs of a child. Last year, a special grant from Rotary provided enough money to supply a hygiene kit for each student.

With that grant and funding from an individual sponsor, Food for Days also gave each child $10 to spend at book fairs.

One school offered a buy-one, get-one-free deal. A fourth-grader who had never owned a book bought four of them.

“A great aspect of the program is partnership. If a counselor has a need, there’s a contact,” Swan said.

Needs may differ. Some church partners supply extras, like hats and scarves. One provides gift cards at Christmas. All partners donate boxes of valentines in February.

Counselors attest to the program’s impact. Children are ready to learn when they arrive at school on Monday mornings, and their self-esteem has improved.

Since a summer roundup to collect food for the beginning of school was so successful, Food for Days implemented a fall/winter huddle for hygiene items. The list includes youth socks for boys and girls during December, large tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes in January and washcloths with bars of soap in February.

Donations can be dropped off at the Mooresville Public Library on Monday-Friday and at Food for Days on Monday and Wednesday mornings.

  Comments  

Videos

Campers relive the Civil War

13th Big Day at the Lake was "the biggest ever"

View More Video

Trending Stories

Mine shaft found under Charlotte house could be 150-year-old tunnel to gold

February 21, 2019 12:20 PM

NC judge throws out voter ID and income tax constitutional amendments

February 22, 2019 05:38 PM

Rick Siskey Ponzi scheme victims win final approval for payment of ‘major settlement’

February 22, 2019 02:59 PM

Did a wolf or coyote kill NC teacher? DNA tests say maybe, but experts disagree

February 22, 2019 07:44 AM

The moment of truth in the 9th District election fraud hearing

February 22, 2019 11:07 AM

things to do

Read Next

Latest News

Many drones carry cameras, but these carry a hose. What’s this NC company up to?

By Ray Gronberg

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 02, 2018 06:03 PM

Instead of ladders and scaffolds, a new company called Lucid is using drones to remove gunk from the sides and roofs of buildings.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LAKE NORMAN & MOORESVILLE

Lake Norman mansion made Hollywood history. It can be yours.

Local

Lake Norman mansion made Hollywood history. It can be yours.

September 27, 2017 06:00 AM
To our readers

Lake Norman & Mooresville

To our readers

September 26, 2017 10:54 PM
X marks the spot on the road. But for what?

South Charlotte

X marks the spot on the road. But for what?

September 26, 2017 09:12 PM
This season’s finest: Independence golfer Parker Melting is a ‘one-woman’ team for Patriots

High School Sports

This season’s finest: Independence golfer Parker Melting is a ‘one-woman’ team for Patriots

September 26, 2017 09:31 PM
Cornelius Youth Orchestra plays that tune to cultivate young musicians

Lake Norman & Mooresville

Cornelius Youth Orchestra plays that tune to cultivate young musicians

September 26, 2017 09:09 PM
Transplants from hockey-happy states hit the streets

Lake Norman & Mooresville

Transplants from hockey-happy states hit the streets

September 26, 2017 09:06 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Charlotte Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story