Nancy Horton leads a group in prayer over food before they deliver it to the school. (Photo courtesy of Hanceville Knapsacks for Kids)
HANCEVILLE – In the countywide Knapsacks for Kids ministry, Hanceville’s local program is often touted as the perfect example of what such a ministry can be: well-organized, close to the staff of local schools, and with tremendous cooperative support from within the community.
Hanceville group representative Amy Gable shared, “Hanceville Knapsacks for Kids program is now starting its fourth year. On average, we send home 1,800 meals a year. We do breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack for both Friday and Saturday. We pack things such as beanie weenies, ravioli, shelf-stable milk, Capri Sun juices, fruit cups, pudding cups, cookies, snack crackers, Pop-Tarts and cereal bars.
“At the beginning of the year the school counselors tell us how many children have signed up for the program. We send that number of brand new backpacks over. Each week we fill an oversized Ziploc bag with the meals and send it to the schools for the counselors to place in the backpacks.”
Each Friday of the school year, the group distributes backpacks containing a weekend's worth of nutrition, which can include:
- 4 meal items – canned ravioli or spaghetti, or other ready-to-eat foods
- 2 breakfast items – cereal, breakfast bars
- 2 specially formulated milk servings that do not require refrigeration
- 2 juice servings
- 1 bottled water
- 2 fruit cups
- 2 pudding cups
- 4 snacks
- disposable utensils
One of Hanceville’s strengths is the large number of churches and other community organizations that support and actively participate in the program.
“We are made up of many groups and individuals,” said Gable. “I myself am not affiliated with any church. I heard about the program and joined to help the children in our community. Others come from local churches and businesses.”
The ministry’s participants include:
- Hanceville First United Methodist Church
- Hanceville First Baptist Church
- Trinity Lutheran Church
- Pleasant Grove Methodist Church
- Center Hill Baptist Church
- Stouts Mountain Baptist Church
- Hopewell Baptist Church
- Garden City Church of God
- Fairview West Baptist Church
- Northside Church of Christ
- Culture Club of Hanceville
- Highway 91 Homemaker’s Club
- Hanceville Civitan Club
- Hanceville Rocks
Hanceville's mayor and city council have long supported the program and provide the group space at the Hanceville Civic Center to pack bags. Each member organization comes at least twice during the school year to do the packing.
Gable said, “We all pull together as one to feed the children of Hanceville Schools. We know a hungry child cannot learn. They will have trouble focusing on the task at hand. Hungry children will also act out. We want to ensure that every child has a meal. We as a village help raise all of our children.”
Not just for the kids
Hanceville’s group decided to reach out beyond the students to serve their families, as well.
Gable related: “Someone asked once, ‘What about the parents?’ I often wondered that myself. This past year I was given the opportunity to start an emergency food pantry to help the families of our school children. Thanks to (county program director) Melissa Betts, our program was given some shelves. Our local churches and groups help stock the pantry. Any time a family that has a child at Hanceville Schools needs assistance, they can inform a teacher or counselor who will in turn tell us, and we will prepare them a box to help them get by for a few days.
“The Bulldog Pantry and the Knapsacks for Kids program not only help feed our community members, but also shows that people do care. We want these children to grow up knowing that it's good to help your neighbors when you can. We want them to know that someone cares about them. Our community, as a whole, has pulled together to feed the need. We saw a need among the children and we stepped up to do something about it.”
For more information about the Hanceville Knapsacks for Kids program, or to get involved, visit www.facebook.com/HancevilleKnapsacks/.
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