School’s Out, But Lunch is Still On

A small house of the campus of Norcross First United Methodist was buzzing on a recent morning.  Rows of cardboard boxes were stuffed with sacks—some of them decorated with hearts and messages—and volunteers swiftly checked them amid the din of chatter, removing peanut butter crackers here, adding fruit there.

The summer lunch program, run by MUST Ministries with help from the Norcross Co-op and United Way, has one simple aim: to provide area kids who receive free or reduced lunch at school with some sustenance for the summer.

Organizer Carol Love Karpf hopes to hand out 400 lunches every weekday for the duration of the summer. With just over a week under their belt, they are starting to see the momentum build. “I know the need is here and I know the heart is here,” she said. “It is just a matter of organizing it. “

Norcross Elementary, Stripling Elementary and Summerour Middle schools have just over 90 percent of students receiving free or reduced-fare lunches, while Beaver Ridge Elementary has just less than 90 percent of students receiving the aide, according to Gwinnett County Schools. 

Love Karpf has reached out to apartment complexes in Snellville and Norcross—and is still hunting for additional areas that may be in need. One challenge is getting the kids and parents to realize that they are coming, and that they’ll be there every day.

Penny Carter is a driver for the summer lunch program and a member of Norcross First United Methodist. She said just the other day two moms were rushing back from school to feed their children during lunchtime. When they arrived, the kids were happily munching on a lunch. “I’m sure it was a blessing to take a little pressure off their day,” Carter said.

In another case, the volunteers watched on as some kids picked up their lunches then had a makeshift picnic under a shade tree.

Currently the program could use community support from all angles: They need lunch donations, people to come in the morning to check the lunches and drivers. Often a civic groups or business will get together, go shopping and assemble the sandwiches en masse, says Love Karpf. She said she likes that the process also provides fellowship for the volunteers.

For Bonnie Flanagan, a member of Sugarloaf United Methodist who came for the morning packing, the program makes a summer-perfect volunteer activity. Because you can pitch in anytime, it “fits everybody’s summer schedule,” she said.

Flanagan said she’s anxious to get her church’s volunteers on board. “A lot of people don’t know that there are people going hungry in their neighborhood,” she said. But the need is real.

The following lunch supplies are needed:

• Brown lunch bags

• Ziploc bags, sandwich size

• Juice boxes

• Chips or salty items (small, individual bags)

• Sweets (individually wrapped)

• Sandwich supplies (i.e. peanut butter & jelly, lunch meat, individually wrapped cheese slices)

 For more information contact Carol Love Karpf at 770-773-5565 or gwinnettsummerlunch@mustministries.org.