CrossNet Ministries staff members and volunteers prepared close to 10,000 lunches during the summer of 2018 as they endeavored to provide healthy mid-day meals for about 175 children five days a week. CrossNet executive director Meredith Dahl invites area families in need to partake of the program, which has been in operation for a decade. "We want to get the word out to the community that the program is available, and it's free," said Dahl. "We want to make sure that any child who (needs one) is able to access a free lunch."
For 2019, the organization's 10th year to run the summer lunch program, community members and businesses will partner with CrossNet to help fund, prepare, and pack lunches. The effort will provide lunches to area children who qualify on Mondays through Fridays from Monday, June 10, through Friday, Aug. 23. No lunch will be provided on Thursday, July 4. Lunches will be available for pickup at three locations: the CrossNet Food and Nutrition Center, 127 W. Franklin St., New Holland; the Garage Door Skate Park, 113 Conestoga St., Terre Hill; and Pine Grove Church 1194 Reading Road, Bowmansville. Pickup at CrossNet will be from 11 to noon. The pickup time at the Garage Door will be from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m., and pickup at Pine Grove will be from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Parents of Blue Ball Elementary School students should contact CrossNet at 717-355-2454 for assistance with summer lunches.
According to Amy Marburger, food and nutrition manager with CrossNet, the bag lunches served will include a main food item, such as a sandwich or chicken nuggets, along with fruit, chips, a dessert item, and a beverage. Additional snack items will be included as well when available.
"We are so thankful for the partnership with the community that makes (the summer lunch program) possible," said Dahl. Students in the district who qualify for free and reduced lunches during the school year are eligible for free lunches during the summer. Children and youths ages 1 to 18 and any student who will be a high school senior in the fall of 2018 are eligible. Participants will need to sign a waiver when they come and pick up their first lunch. Parents are encouraged to register their children for the program, which will be coordinated by Marburger, by calling the CrossNet office at the above number before the program opens in June.
During the summer of 2018, more than 75 volunteers and staff were needed to pack lunches, deliver the meals to pickup locations, and pick up donations. Volunteers will be needed from 9:30 to 11 a.m. each day lunches are served. Individuals who wish to volunteer may register to do so at https://signup.com/go/yneqvRo. Those who have questions about volunteering may call the previously mentioned number. Students age 16 and up are welcome to volunteer, and Marburger noted that some have done so to complete community service hours for school.
In addition to volunteers, food and monetary donations are needed to support the program. Marburger noted that the program is especially in need of self-locking plastic sandwich bags, brown paper lunch bags, and individually packaged snack foods, such as crackers or granola bars.
In conjunction with the summer lunch program, Heather Smith, library director at the ELANCO Library, plans to ride the book bike to the Food and Nutrition Center to hold a weekly story time at a day and time still to be determined.
According to Dahl, the poverty rate for the community is 44 percent, with Blue Ball and New Holland elementary schools close to 50 percent. For this reason, she hopes that those who know about the program will share that information with friends and family who might have a need.
Readers who would like to learn more about CrossNet may visit http://www.elancocross.org.
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