Dear Friends in Christ,
Thank you for your interest in supporting Cahoot’s Lunch Program for youth. It originally began with a grant from REMC to cover snow days and the five days of spring break as a help to families who rely on school lunches for a significant part of their children’s nutrition. Under normal conditions, the schools would not serve lunch on those days.
As you know, conditions are different due to the shelter-in-place order. The school corporation is serving a meal 5 days a week to students; offering extra on Fridays for the weekend.
In full knowledge of this, Cahoots decided to continue our program in order to help any families who may have difficulty getting to the school locations and to serve on Saturday and Sunday. We in no way want to see our outreach as a competition to the school program. Rather, we want to be a compliment. Many families are beginning to experience a financial crunch that one free meal per child does not entirely alleviate. For many laid off or reduced hour employees, knowing there is more help for their grocery bill through our service has been greatly appreciated.
It takes approximately $200-$300 to purchase supplies off the shelf that cover a weeks’ worth of lunch kits. We have an average of 20 meals per day; an average of 140 meals per week. Financial donations are appreciated as we have now used the original grant money. God has touched the hearts of many in our community to support us financially, and if you would feel safer not shopping, this is a great way to ensure the mission of Cahoots will continue through and beyond this time.
You may also decide to donate food supplies. We have been serving:
- Shelf stable pastas and soups – single serving or cans are best
- Sandwiches – PB&J supplies, cheese, luncheon meat
- “Kid Friendly Produce” i.e. Carrots, Apples, “Cutie” Oranges, Bannanas, Celery
- Fruit cups or apple sauce
- Cheese sticks, meat sticks, trail mix
- Granola Bars, Peanut Butter Crackers, Chips
- Juice boxes or pouches, bottled water
- Small treats: cookies, brownies, krispie treats, or small candy.
- On weekends we have been including breakfast items: OJ, Oatmeal, Pastries
These may be brought to the café during serving hours of 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If you are healthy and want to volunteer to serve either in prep or distribution, please contact the church office indicate that in your correspondence and I will work to get you on the schedule.
FYI, masks and gloves are worn and we would like to train all in basic food sanitation before your first shift.
“I was hungry and you have me something to eat…I was a stranger and you welcomed me…”
Tom Adamson+ and the Cahoots Team