When the Good Samaritan Ministries made the decision to extend its Food for Thought program into the summer, it was estimated that around 40 students would participate. After the very first week, 51 sacks of food were delivered, and based on the way the program typically increases in number as it goes along, that number will likely increase as summer progresses.
“We ordered food for 40 students and we really thought we estimated on the high side,” said Angelia Bostick, Executive Director of GSM. “This is a pilot program and we really thought we would be starting small, but hunger doesn’t end just because school does and there are still children who need that extra nutrition over the weekend.”
As during the school year, the Food for Thought program is for chronically hungry students in Brown County who do not have an adequate food source over the weekend. The school year ended with around 120 students on 11 Brown County campuses enrolled.
“We always wonder what happens to the students on the program during the summer,” Bostick said. “They do have the summer feeding program through the schools but it still doesn’t address the long weekend.”
For this summer’s pilot program, GSM is working together with the Boys and Girls Club and Love Brownwood, a mission group at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church.
The Boys and Girls Club site delivers sacks of food to students who go to the club during the summer.
Through volunteers of Love Brownwood, sacks are delivered to the homes of students who have been prequalified for the program.
The first round of food sacks went home Friday, June 8. Fifty-one children received food.
Because this is a pilot program, some of the food has been harder to come by through the Food Bank so GSM has had to supplement with food purchased or given elsewhere to ensure that the children receive adequate nutrition.
“And since kids seem to be more active, stay up later and eat more, we have almost doubled the amount of food that goes in the sacks,” Bostick said. “So instead of each bag costing $4.50 like they did during the school year, each bag this summer costs us around $8.”
Some of the foods GSM has had to supplement includes: Vienna sausages, beef jerky, peanut butter crackers, pudding cups, Capri-Sun juice pouches, small bottled water and shelf stable chocolate milk.
All items in the food sacks need to be individual serving sizes, easy open and shelf stable.
Anyone who would like to have a food drive to help the Food for Thought summer program or would like to donate food individually are encouraged to do so and are appreciated. Call GSM at 325-643-2273 or 325-203-2489 to let them know what you have planned or simply deliver it to 305 Clark Street.
For those who would like to donate financially to the summer program, please mail a check to P.O. Box 1136, Brownwood, TX, 76801, or make a donation online via PayPal at goodsambwd.org. Donations may also be brought to the office at 305 Clark Street. Credit cards are now accepted on site. Donors are encouraged to take a tour while they are at Good Samaritan Ministries.
