They assist with packaging and distributing meals to children who come to the Methodist Church downtown between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. weekdays or show up at designated stops in town and in the township.
One week alone this summer, a record 1,000 meals were provided , said Kathy Taylor, director of Tipp Monroe Community Services, which coordinates the program.
The program employs a cook, an assistant, a driver and a general helper who does whatever needs done. The rest of countless tasks are handled by volunteers.
The program was started when Mark Mabelitini, then library director, approached Taylor with the question of what happened to students during the summer who were on a meals program at school during the school year. He was concerned, she said, because he saw some children hanging out at the library most of the day, and not eating.
“I didn’t know,” Taylor said of the answer to his question. After hearing from school officials that several hundred children were on a lunch program, she began to explore options. Programs that required a check of parents’ income turned her off, so she chose to see if the community would be willing to help.
The community response was “fantastic,” she said.
“We appreciate the community and the support they have given us over the years. If you put the word out that you need help, you get it. That is what is nice about this community,” Taylor said.
Each spring for the past several years, a purse auction coordinated by Community Services is held at the church with donated purses, bags and related items such as scarves, umbrellas and other accessories offered. A volunteer auctions off the items. This year, around $15,000 was raised. Other donations include food, money and gift cards for stores such as Kroger and Meijer.
At the conclusion of the meal program, students are given school supplies, which are being collected now in tubs placed at the TMCS office and the public library in addition to other locations.
Anyone interested in volunteering can call TMCS at 937-667-8631. This year’s Lunch on Us program runs through Aug. 18.
Contact this reporter at nancykburr@aol.com
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