GILES COUNTY, Va. – Kids being home over the summer can bring extra strain on a household to provide enough food for everyone.
One school system in the New River Valley is making sure those families are secure, as they kicked off their summer meals delivery program.
“We don’t have starving children here in Giles County, but we have hungry children,” said Christy Lawson, organizer of the program.
Dozens of volunteers flocked to Narrows Elementary-Middle School Wednesday morning to help pack and load over 650 meal bags for kids who are home for the summer.
“All we did was ask for help and people came out of the woodworks,” Lawson said. “We’re going to deliver 5 days throughout the summer. Each day is 10 days of meals, breakfast and lunch, for each child.”
Lawson, who helps organize everything, said they have done summer meal programs for years and she knows how important it is to this community.
“Not only does it help financially, but its good, high-quality food,” she said. “We expect to go over 700 next time, in two weeks. We’re doing it every other Wednesday.”
Unlike other school districts though, Giles County loads up buses to deliver the meals. Lawson says since switching to this in 2020, they reach even more families.
“We would average between 200-300 a day and now, I mean we are at 650, going over 700 on the next one,” Lawson said.
Inside the meal bags, students get fruits, vegetables, a variety of main entrees, and then milk.
“For a lot of these kids, this is their best, most nutritious meal and when school is out we have to find a way to feed them,” said Jason Buckland, School Board chair.
For two volunteers who just graduated in the county and came out to help, they tell me it’s important to get out and help the community when possible.
“650 times two is a lot of bags, so it’s a lot of work but I feel like it’s worth it,” said Austin Atwood and Jaden Porter, volunteers.
Leaders with the school said they will be making more deliveries like this, all throughout the summer.