You might have started to notice some changes around our kitchen. That's because the summer lunch program is up and running! Our partnership with Change the Play is growing as the days go by - and I'm grateful that this relationship continues to develop. This week, we have the chance to start serving up to 400 meals a day. You read that right. 400 meals a day to kids in Meriden who are not able to eat in the summer without the school lunch program. That's so awesome.
That also means we're going to have to rearrange the kitchen a little more. We'll likely need another fridge - and at some point we'll have to replace the freezer we threw out a few months ago (it wasn't up to code anymore!). This might take some creative thinking on our part - and what a great problem to have. This week, we'll also begin some conversations about how this program might morph into an after-school program in the fall. That would be a much more involved effort. We'd need not only to prepare and feed the kids, but also have activities and programs in which they can participate. It means kids would be spending time at the church every day.
We're still in the exploratory phase of this - but what a great opportunity for us to use our building for the sake of the community. To provide a safe place for kids to hang out in the afternoons and some good, healthy food for them to eat.
I'm so grateful to the crop of volunteers at St. Andrew's who have plugged right into making these meals - and putting together these sandwiches. It has really been a community effort - and y'all are so great! Thank you for stepping in to this so easily. What a difference it makes in our community.
If you have ideas - or if you want to talk more about what might be possible in the fall, please let me know. In the meantime, I pray God's blessing on you, on the growth of these partnerships, and on the people we're privileged to serve.
That also means we're going to have to rearrange the kitchen a little more. We'll likely need another fridge - and at some point we'll have to replace the freezer we threw out a few months ago (it wasn't up to code anymore!). This might take some creative thinking on our part - and what a great problem to have. This week, we'll also begin some conversations about how this program might morph into an after-school program in the fall. That would be a much more involved effort. We'd need not only to prepare and feed the kids, but also have activities and programs in which they can participate. It means kids would be spending time at the church every day.
We're still in the exploratory phase of this - but what a great opportunity for us to use our building for the sake of the community. To provide a safe place for kids to hang out in the afternoons and some good, healthy food for them to eat.
I'm so grateful to the crop of volunteers at St. Andrew's who have plugged right into making these meals - and putting together these sandwiches. It has really been a community effort - and y'all are so great! Thank you for stepping in to this so easily. What a difference it makes in our community.
If you have ideas - or if you want to talk more about what might be possible in the fall, please let me know. In the meantime, I pray God's blessing on you, on the growth of these partnerships, and on the people we're privileged to serve.
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