For many children, school meals are their primary source of nutrition, leaving weekends a time of uncertainty and hunger. Food insecurity affects countless families, leaving children without the nourishment they need to grow, learn, and thrive. Recognizing this community need, St. John’s Lutheran Church is leading the charge in addressing this critical issue with the Sonshine Backpack Ministry to ensure children in Cabarrus County have food to sustain them over the weekends.
What is Sonshine Backpack Ministry?
The Sonshine Backpack Ministry is a compassionate initiative that provides weekly food bags to children who are identified as food insecure. These bags are strategically distributed to several local schools, including Mt. Pleasant Elementary, Mt. Pleasant Middle School, JN Fries Middle School, Odell Elementary School, and Patriots Elementary School, as well as supporting food pantries at Mt. Pleasant High School and Central Cabarrus High School.
Photo Credits: St. John’s Lutheran Church
Each week, the Sonshine Backpack Ministry assembles and distributes approximately 100 food bags. These bags are carefully packed with a variety of easy-to-prepare, shelf-stable foods, including oatmeal, granola bars, Pop-Tarts, Easy Mac ‘n Cheese, canned and microwaveable soups, pasta, vegetables, fruit cups, applesauce, shelf-stable milk, and 100% juice boxes. Additionally, snack items such as crackers, raisins, cookies, and microwave popcorn help provide extra sustenance. Each bag is thoughtfully curated to help bridge the weekend nutrition gap and provide comfort to children who might otherwise go without.
To further support the well-being of these children, the ministry provides Family Food Boxes during the extended school holiday breaks.
Why is it Important?
This ministry plays a crucial role in ensuring that vulnerable children in our community have access to nutritious food outside of school hours. These children come from families struggling with food insecurity, where access to regular meals is uncertain. While weekday meals are covered by school programs, weekends often leave these children without enough to eat. By providing consistent nutrition, the ministry directly impacts the health, happiness, and future potential of these young individuals.
How You Can Help
To support the Sonshine Backpack Ministry, consider donating food items or funds. It costs approximately $325 to provide food for one child for an entire school year, $37 to provide food for one child for an entire month, and $10 to feed a child for a week. Food items needed include oatmeal, granola bars, canned goods, fruit cups, and more (see complete list above).
Sonshine Backpacks is a non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible.
For more information or to make a food donation, please contact Bonita Rowland at 704-791-3223 or by email. Monetary donations can be made online. Your support makes a significant difference in the lives of children facing food insecurity in Cabarrus County. Together, we can ensure that no child goes hungry and that every young mind has the nourishment they need to thrive.
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