Bentonville church lends hand in providing summer meals for kids

BENTONVILLE -- A church is helping make sure children don't go hungry this summer.

First United Methodist Church, in partnership with the School District, launched its Summer Eats program last month. Volunteers deliver lunch to four locations at designated times, Monday through Friday, within the district.

The program began June 15 and served 21 children that day. The number of kids served has increased to an average of about 50 per day, according to Brett Morrison, who organizes the volunteers.

Lunches include a sandwich, a fruit, a vegetable and a choice of either white or chocolate milk. Turkey sandwiches are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday and ham sandwiches are offered Tuesday and Thursday; a sunflower butter and jelly sandwich also is available each day.

The meals are free to all children 18 and younger. Adults may buy one for $3.80. Aramark, the district's food service provider, prepares the food; church volunteers and Aramark employees deliver it using church vans.

The program supplements the district's own summer feeding program, which serves hot meals for breakfast and lunch each weekday at Mary Mae Jones Elementary School.

"It's great," said Amanda Musick, the district's director of student services, about Summer Eats. "It adds another layer of support for our families, especially those who may not have transportation to Mary Mae Jones."

It was around noon Tuesday when Morrison, accompanied by Aramark food service worker Trina Cross, pulled a van into the parking lot of the Ashton Heights apartment complex, across the street from Bentonville High School. They parked in their usual spot in front of the complex's playground. Cross handed out meals from the back of the van.

Cross said she loves to see smiles on the kids as they get their food.

"It makes me feel good that kids are actually coming," Cross said. "It seems like the more we keep doing this, the more word gets out about it."

A 12-year-old boy riding a self-balancing scooter showed up with his 5-year-old sister. Later, a woman pulled up in her car to pick up a meal. She had a child with her in the backseat.

A total of about 10 kids picked up meals at Ashton Heights on Tuesday, a light turnout Morrison attributed to it being the day before the Fourth of July.

Morrison mentioned two children who frequently show up for the lunches. The first day they came, they said the only food they had in their home at the time was half a jar of peanut butter, Morrison said.

"How do you not want to make sure they've got food?" Morrison said. "If you're an adult, you can get to a pantry somewhere. You can get to a free meal. These kids are stuck here. They don't have any place to go get food."

The Summer Eats program got off to a late start this summer, but Morrison hopes to see it grow next year from four sites to as many as eight across the district.

Church volunteers also distribute snack packs each Friday to children to help them get through the weekends. Those snack packs are assembled by volunteers through the church's Second Street Pantry.

Not every apartment complex approached about hosting the Summer Eats program agreed to participate, Morrison said. The Ashton Heights and Delmar complexes agreed to serve as hosts.

"I thought it was a pretty good idea," said LaVone Hazelwood, manager of the Ashton Heights complex. "I don't have any objection, and I think people are getting more accustomed to them being here."

Hazelwood didn't know how many children live in the 240-unit complex, but estimated it to be a few dozen. The Summer Eats program is one example of what she sees as widespread generosity throughout the region.

"Neighbors helping neighbors," she said. "That's kind of the mentality there is here in Northwest Arkansas, and that's why there's so much available. If there's something we can do to contribute to the well-being of the community, that's what we're here for. Doesn't matter what kind of work we do."

NW News on 07/05/2018