Very shortly after schools closed in March, The Factory Ministries and Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) partnered to begin providing lunches for students in the district in need. That program was scheduled to end on May 27, but administrators at The Factory were able to secure funding to continue the program through June 5.
Now, Karla Neff, director of Pequea Valley elementary advocacy at The Factory Ministries, is happy to announce that funding has been secured to continue the program throughout the summer. The majority of funding was provided by a Pennsylvania Department of Education Summer Food Service Program grant, but funding also came from a Steinman Grant and Lancaster CARES. Neff reported that the cost of the program runs about $2,500 per week.
"We have also had support from community donations," said Neff. "People want to make sure children are fed over the summer, and we (at The Factory) are super passionate about them being fed, so it's a collaborative effort to make sure the funds are there."
Currently, lunches are available to be picked up by families with children in PVSD each Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. at The Factory Ministries, located in the Together Community Center, 3293 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise. A drive-through system is utilized. In some cases, lunches may be delivered. "We have a few families that need delivery; we offer that when it's a necessity," said Neff.
Multiple brown bag lunches are given out to supply food until the following week. Each child in a family receives five lunches, but not all students who take part in the program pick up meals each week. The program is open not only to students who are eligible for free and reduced-cost school lunches, but to any child in PVSD 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 are also eligible. Lunches will be distributed through Wednesday, Aug. 19.
Each brown bag lunch generally includes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, juice or milk, chips, and fruit or vegetables, but Neff reported that the menu will vary. "We have our standard lunch, but we are hoping to find other creative ways to build lunches," she said. "This week we had chicken patties, and in the future, we hope to have frozen hamburger patties and buns," said Neff. "We are trying to have variety."
Neff is also thankful to local businesses that have reached out to help. "Paradise Solar Energy bought pizza kits from Two Cousins, so every student got a pizza kit," she noted. "We hope to continue to do fun things like that to support local businesses and give (recipients) something fun they can do as a family."
Currently, lunches are prepared for 150 students each week, which means over the next 10 weeks, the organization will distribute about 7,500 lunches. Neff said that a consistent group of volunteers has been packing on Wednesday mornings and distributing the lunches in the afternoon, but as people return to the workforce, she expects to need more volunteers. Individual volunteers must be at least age 16 to participate, but families are welcome.
Looking forward, Neff hopes to add an outdoor component to the program. "Once parks open, we would love to take the lunches to parks," she noted.
PVSD families that need to pick up lunches or those who are interested in volunteering may call Neff at 717-687-9594, ext. 206, or email Karla_neff@pequeavalley.org.
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