According to Amy Marburger, food and nutrition manager with CrossNet Ministries, the 2020 free summer lunch program will operate a little differently this year. "We want one family member at a time to retrieve the lunch wherever the lunch is picked up," she noted, adding that the family member is requested to wear a mask. "We will have some masks available. We don't want anyone to go without food for lack of a mask," Marburger added.
This year, organizers expect to prepare meals for about 225 children five days a week, as the program is open not only to students who are eligible for free and reduced-cost school lunches, but to any child in the ELANCO School District ages 1 to 18 who has been affected by COVID-19 restrictions. In addition, students over age 18 who are still registered and attending school will also be eligible.
For 2020, 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 through Friday, Aug. 21. Lunches will be available for pickup at four locations: the CrossNet Food and Nutrition Center, 127 W. Franklin St., New Holland; Petra Church, 565 Airport Road, New Holland; the Garage Door Skate Park, 113 Conestoga St., Terre Hill; and Pine Grove Church, 1194 Reading Road, Bowmansville. Pickup will at CrossNet be from 11 a.m. to noon and at Petra from 11 to 11:30 a.m. 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 students who do not have transportation to one of the pickup sites should contact CrossNet at 717-355-2454 for assistance with summer lunches. Students may be registered for lunches at https://crossnet.breezechms.com/form/b3f543.
According to Marburger, the bag lunches 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 want to thank the community," said CrossNet executive director Meredith Dahl, who specifically mentioned donations from Herr's Chips, Yoder's Country Market, Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Hoober Produce, and Four Seasons Produce. "(We are grateful for) the businesses that have given already and the people in the community who are making this possible and helping us feel confident and ready for higher numbers of participants this year," she noted.
Dahl also lauded Marburger's partnership with the ELANCO elementary schools during the time the district provided lunches from March to June. "Amy has worked really well with the elementary schools," she said. "It has been a natural and smooth progression from the schools to the CrossNet lunch program," Dahl said.
More than 75 total volunteers and staff are needed to pack lunches, deliver the meals to pickup locations, and pick up donations. A limited number of volunteers who follow restrictions will be needed from 9:30 to 11 a.m. each day lunches are served. Individuals who wish to volunteer to pack lunches may register at https://signup.com/go/SLBUWWY, and those wishing to deliver lunches may register at https://signup.com/go/abatDma. Students age 16 and up are welcome to volunteer.
In addition to volunteers, Marburger noted that the program is especially in need of self-locking plastic snack-size bags, aluminum foil sheets, individually packaged snack foods, individual-size cereals, pepperoni slices for pepperoni wraps, frozen meatballs, and powder-free latex gloves in all sizes.
In conjunction with the summer lunch program, the ELANCO Library plans to provide activity bags for families. CrossNet also plans to provide at least one free new book per child this summer.
"If anyone has a food need, please reach out," Dahl said. "We want to make sure food is in the hands of ELANCO students this summer."
Readers who would like to learn more about CrossNet may visit http://www.elancocross.org.
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