A collection about native individuals who assist native folks
The Bean Bag Meals Program gives meals each weekend for youngsters in preschool as much as 12th grade. We talked to its founder, Donna Halteman.
Donna, what has been passable in your work with the Bean Bag Meals Program?
Figuring out that I’m serving to youngsters. I can not repair every little thing. I can not finish poverty or lack of housing, however I will help. Kids don’t select the setting wherein they dwell. As neighbors and members of the group, we now have the duty of lifting them and inspiring them each time we are able to.
We start to ship 20 meals luggage each weekend to youngsters in a Souderton college (EMC Elementary) in 2016. We proceed to develop, and the kids in our program carried the home of “bean luggage” each Friday till 2020, when the pandemic pressured us to discover a completely different means. We started to ship at dwelling, which labored nicely, and eradicated the stigma of some youngsters who had meals dwelling on the bus. Our program has expanded and prolonged from mouth to mouth. In 2024, we delivered “bean luggage” to 351 youngsters in 229 households within the college districts of Souderton, Quakertoown, Mciu Preschool and North Penn.
Are there packages that think about your “companions”?
We have now great group help! Faculty counselors (Ok-12) in our faculty districts are invaluable, since they offer “participation varieties” to households that may profit from our program. Faculty counselors know who may have meals, who moved, who graduated and who not wants meals; They hold us up to date.
The native corporations Alderfer Aucion, Penn Valley Gasoline, Department Creek Faucet Home and Bergey’s Automotive are the primary sponsors of our annual fundraising, the Souderton Most important Road Crawl. Landis Market, Mitzvah Circle, Arms In Service and Backyard of Well being in Hatfield help us with meals with out meals.
Inform me 3 ways wherein a member of the group will help the meals program of the bean bag to realize its aims.
Generally life takes you out of the observe. Be type and respectful of all.
Take part in our 100 Field Problem Meals Drive in spring, or in our meals Suderton Most important Road Crawl in autumn. Meals monitoring collects cash for our program and promotes corporations in a enjoyable means; Get a map on the Broad Theater and stroll having fun with one thing tasty at every cease! For extra info, our web site and e-mail are listed beneath.
We’re at the moment in search of packages within the North Penn space: corporations, golf equipment and people who can provide monetary help in order that we are able to proceed to offer meals to youngsters dwelling within the NP group. The annual price of doing that is $ 20,000.
Do you’ve gotten a specific success story to share?
He had two enthusiastic highschool college students who supplied themselves as volunteers for us. I lastly realized that that they had obtained meals of their youthful years. Research present that youngsters who get hold of ample vitamin are more healthy, can be taught higher and really feel higher, and they’re extra prone to return their group as adults. These two younger folks, who had obtained a hand once they have been youthful, grew up wanting to attach with their group and pay in a major means.
Do you get any setback?
Sometimes, folks don’t perceive why youngsters don’t have any meals. It’s actually not a setback, it’s merely not figuring out how life will be for some youngsters. As soon as they perceive how abuse of grownup substances, unemployment, well being circumstances and plenty of extra conditions have an effect on youngsters, perceive why we do what we do for youngsters from preschool to 12th grade. Starvation shouldn’t be a reminiscence of childhood.
Does the bean bag program profit people who find themselves not meals insecure?
Sure. Folks within the Mennonita Zion church in Souderton, the place we began, have been our first volunteers. They really feel good with their work specializing in native youngsters, and are left feeling constructive. Now we now have greater than 500 volunteers, common clients and half -time staff! After 9 years, we now have overcome our area in Zion Mennonite, and not too long ago we lease a bigger area.
We have now began “Share.” Be taught. Prosper. “Household occasions in order that we can provide greater than meals. Zion Mennonite organizes a breakfast and a grocer Finance, vitamin, train, and so forth.
Offered by North Penn Advocates, a gaggle of native individuals who need to educate the North Penn group on power starvation points, lack of housing and housing, and advocate for tangible options. Ship us an e-mail to: northpenadvocates@gmail.com or go to our Fb North Penn Advocates for extra info, go to the web site: Beanbagfoodprogram.org Questions/Feedback/Info on Volunteering: Beanbagfoodprogram@gmail.com