Submitted News
For seven years, members of the West Union community have helped with financial support to provide food for West Union Elementary students on the weekends through the Blessings in a Backpack (BiB) program. When COVID hit our community, free food was readily available and few items had to be purchased. This source of free food is no longer available and we are reaching out to community churches, businesses, and organizations for help in providing the weekend food for these elementary students.
Currently, 150 children receive a bag of shelf-stable food each Friday. With the rising cost of food and the increased number of students benefitting from this program, consider helping with this outreach program. You can help in several ways.
First, please pray for the children receiving this much needed food. Second, if you would like to help pack the bags of food, email Karen Young, Program Coordinator at [email protected]. You will be put on the list of people contacted when food is ready to be packed, which is a two-hour commitment once a month. Last, but definitely not least, would you consider making a donation to Blessings in a Backpack?
It is estimated that the cost, per child, for a school-year of weekend food is between $125 and $150, with food costs continuing to rise. All donations go directly for food items and the majority is purchased locally, if available. The only exception is the national BiB organizations keeps $10 per child yearly to cover their expenses. All of the local time/work is completed by many dedicated volunteers.
If you would like to support this outreach, there are several ways to donate.
1. Donations can be made payable to Blessings in a Backpack with the memo “West Union Elementary” and mailed to: Blessings in a Backpack P.O. Box 950291, Louisville, KY 40295
2. Donations can be made payable to West Union Church of Christ with the memo “West Union Elementary” and mailed to: West Union Church of Christ, 270 Lloyd Road, West Union, OH 45693
3. If you prefer to donate online: go to www.blessingsinabackpack.org Click on Ways to Donate. Be sure to indicate that the donation is for West Union Elementary so our school received the support.
Thank you in advance for considering this local mission field If you have questions, please call (937) 544-4110.
