SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
For some kids, the lunch they eat at school on Friday, is the last meal they'll eat until Monday. One church says it's a problem that's more widespread in Sioux City than some people think.
Saint James United Methodist Church is asking people to imagine what it's like to wait days to get a bite to eat, so people know that many kids in our community are actually going to school hungry.
"It'd make me feel sad because I wouldn't go to school with a good breakfast, it'd make me feel week in the day," Taylor Hesse, volunteer said.
Taylor Hesse is one of a dozen volunteers at church, putting together food for the church's Food 4 Kids program. The church launched the program after it did a recent survey of their Sioux City neighborhood. It showed one of the top 5 needs for children was food.
Program Coordinator Pat Pottorff says, many kids at Whittier Elementary qualify for free or reduced lunch at school, but worries they're not getting enough food at home on weekends.
"I'm a teacher and we see students that come to school on Monday mornings that haven't had the nutrition they need over the weekends and they aren't good learners when they're hungry," Pat Pottorff, Program Coordinator said.
To try to combat this problem, Saint James partnered up with other local churches, and the Whittier School PTO to start the snack pack program at Whittier.
The program distributes food bags that have cereals, fruits, and healthy snacks.
"This school is two blocks from a church, it's a neighborhood project and we're trying to help those that are close by," Pottorff said.
One teacher who's seen kids come to class hungry, says she's very touched by the outpouring of support.
"We could not be more grateful for all the things they're doing for our kids, because we know it's a struggle for the parents, this is an opportunity that they're giving them to have a healthy snack on the weekends," said Susan Jordan, a second grade teacher at Whittier Elementary.
The church says it costs about $600 to hand out 300 food bags once a month. They're hoping to raise more funds so they can do this each week. But, they want to make sure they can sustain this program before expanding.
"Kids need food and energy and, in school if you don't have food and energy, A's wouldn't exist, you would get C's, D's, and F's," Joe Navrkal, a student volunteer said.
The program is currently only operating at Whittier Elementary school. The church says any child can sign up regardless of their family's income.
So far, 66 have signed up. For more info click here.
Local church and community members launching a snack bag program, to stop kids from going hungry.
