Contributed by Carol
Caulk, Active Member
Junior League of Columbia had a strong turnout at
McGregor Presbyterian Church in Irmo for Thursday night's February Split Meeting, despite the dreary weather.
Stuart Stout of the St. Andrews Optimist Club and Diane
Parham, Chair of the Missions Committee, at McGregor Presbyterian Church shared
the story and background of their Snack Program.
The children who benefit from the Snack Program have been
identified through teachers, guidance counselors andschool social workers as
not getting enough to eat over the weekends, which affects their health and
ability to learn. Many are homeless; others are from families that have lost
jobs and are in need of help. Sadly, the numbers continue to increase.
Over a year and a half ago, the Optimist Club and McGregor
Church decided to join forces and began assembling snack packs for 50
children.
The Optimist Club currently meets at McGregor Presbyterian
Church every Sunday evening and packs 190 snack packs a week during the school
year at a cost of over one thousand dollars ($1,000) a week, ensuring that at least
190 children will not go hungry over a weekend.
During longer breaks from school the group will assemble
larger snack packs. The summer break
snack packs cost an average of $40.00 a box and are to last a family five weeks
until they can return and get a second box to last another five weeks until the
children return to school.
“Prior to the Snack Pack program there were a larger number
of children reporting to the school nurses on Monday mornings stating they were
ill when in reality they were hungry. This number has dropped significantly,”
said Stuart Stout.
The Optimist and McGregor members do not know the faces of
the children they are serving through the Snack Program. Only the teachers know the identities of the
children. One teacher said she had to
choke back tears at the unbridled joy and gratefulness of a child receiving
this tiny bag of food to take home for the weekend so they would not be hungry.
The St. Andrews Optimist Club and McGregor Presbyterian
Church welcome any help you would like to offer whether it be cash, in-kind
donations of snack pack items or just your time to help assemble snack
bags. For more information please
contact stwartstout@att.net .
Below is a list of
some of the items included in the snack packs:
Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Bars or other granola barsKellogg's Rice Krispies Treats - individually packaged squares
Single-serving cereal boxes (Variety pack)
Fruit snack packets (gummy/chewy type, preferably made with fruit juice)
Instant oatmeal packets
Instant grits packets
Slim Jims
Applesauce cups or mixed fruit cups (peel-off plastic or pop-top lids)
Mandarin oranges (small or 4-oz cups or pop-top cans)
Lance crackers - any variety (not cookies)
Chef Boyardee Ravioli - pop-top 7-oz cans or 15-oz cans
Chef Boyardee Spaghetti & Meatballs - pop-top 7-oz cans or 15-oz cans
Microwaveable macaroni and cheese cups
