Every Wednesday during the summer, volunteers from Christ United Methodist Church of Merrill set out a free food stand for kids and teens at Stange’s Park. The event will last until Aug. 28 and also the previous weekend before the school starts. The church hopes to help those who can’t afford food without the lunch program of schools.
During the day, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cindy Swope, Becky Yorde, Jordan Charter, Sharie Fritcher and Norma Schroder prepare the food and set the table at the stand. This group welcomes kids and teenagers to eat for free lots of fruits and vegetables, sandwiches and a juice box or water. Adults can also join and make a voluntary donation to the lunch program.
It all started a year ago, when they realized that the children who qualify for free or reduced school lunch do not have that available to them in summer. Everybody thought it was a great idea to give the same opportunity out of school. In order to make it come true, they had to raise money and talk to some restaurants and other food suppliers. They made arrangements that include donations or reduced prices on the items they offer for lunch.
The main reason that has got these members of the church to do the initiative is the concern for the kids. Their next goal is to convince other churches in town to join the cause and be able to expand the services Monday to Friday in summer. They also remark that even though the church organizes it, it’s not meant to be a religious meeting, it’s a just a service for the community. “It’s a blessing to do this for kids and for the families, this is a wonderful feeling,” they all agree. They really apply themselves into the whole process to see the final result. “About 102 kids go home with their bellies filled!” they answer about the amount of children fed at the end of the month.
Looking forward to expanding this summer program, they stay positive and feel blessed just for doing it: “You can see God in the process. We couldn’t do this if it wasn’t for the work and generosity of people. For example: the fruit is really expensive, and they donate it to us! At the end, when families come they are so grateful, but we are too.”
This wonderful opportunity for families is a call to leave an empty dish with a smile.