Personal Narrative: Power Pack Yuma
There are hungry children in my neighborhood? The question shook me to my core. As Pastor Bob spoke, I wondered about the family situation, what could be the reason parents were not feeding their children? So many thoughts flooded my mind, how were they spending their money; what about public assistance and food stamps; why is this happening in my community? Next, I was convicted in my heart; this kind of thinking was part of the problem, not part of the solution, I have been called to love people, not judge them. Pastor shared about Power Pack Yuma, a forming group of churches reaching out to feed the hungry children. We decided to start up Power Pack at Oasis Church. Working alongside the nurse in the school across the street, our group
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Storage and logistics were difficult at best; we were really working out of the trunk of a car. Over the next few months, we devised a plan to fund and build a storage cabinet in the main classroom at the church. We started packing during the break between services, so others could join in. We shared the need for food donations and volunteers and the offerings started flowing in. We also shopped for the understocked items, after we completed an inventory of the needs for the following week. We placed the packs in bins for the 5 schools, to be delivered on Thursday, by yet other volunteers. Recruiting help was easy; friends would just look in to see what was happening and joined us. Our group of volunteers has a core of 7, including 2 youth. Our numbers swells to 15 or more weekly, including families with children, youth and adults.
As we firmed up our process, we communicated about the ministry to other neighborhood schools and are now packing 60 bags a week, for 5 different schools. We deliver over 2,000 Power Packs a year to hungry children. The youngsters visit the school nurse, in private, on Friday afternoons before going home for the weekend. They carry their packs home in their backpacks. The process is as easy as possible on the children, without logistical issues or humiliation. We have continued this ministry for three years now and plan to sustain the activity until the need is
Storage and logistics were difficult at best; we were really working out of the trunk of a car. Over the next few months, we devised a plan to fund and build a storage cabinet in the main classroom at the church. We started packing during the break between services, so others could join in. We shared the need for food donations and volunteers and the offerings started flowing in. We also shopped for the understocked items, after we completed an inventory of the needs for the following week. We placed the packs in bins for the 5 schools, to be delivered on Thursday, by yet other volunteers. Recruiting help was easy; friends would just look in to see what was happening and joined us. Our group of volunteers has a core of 7, including 2 youth. Our numbers swells to 15 or more weekly, including families with children, youth and adults.
As we firmed up our process, we communicated about the ministry to other neighborhood schools and are now packing 60 bags a week, for 5 different schools. We deliver over 2,000 Power Packs a year to hungry children. The youngsters visit the school nurse, in private, on Friday afternoons before going home for the weekend. They carry their packs home in their backpacks. The process is as easy as possible on the children, without logistical issues or humiliation. We have continued this ministry for three years now and plan to sustain the activity until the need is