CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Once a month, folks gather at the East Brainerd Church of Christ in hopes of feeding a multitude. Snack Pack Ministry is on a mission to tackle food insecurity in Hamilton County one child at a time. And that’s a fulfilling example “What’s Right With Our Schools”.
Janice Robertson is the Founder of Snack Pack Ministry.
She explains, ” The program was started because our son was a principal at Red Bank High School, and he had children going home on the weekend who didn’t have food until they came back on Monday morning. And I started it for that school, and it’s grown into what it is today. It’s all volunteer program. We are now in 29 Hamilton County schools. We take about 3300 bags per week to those schools. It is all volunteer and we just packed the snack packs with 10 items in them, deliver them to the schools on Thursday or Friday, so they can send them home with kids for the weekend. And this is our 12th year.
Robertson continues, “I just want to thank all these people that showed up today. We had a group from Boyd
Buchanan, the teachers and they did a service day. It was awesome.”
Others chime in, “We are from Boyd Buchanan, and then we take time out in our in-service to serve here at Snack Pack.
Make sure kids get food.”
Ashley Cross is the Principal at Boyd Buchanan.
She says, “You know, people might be surprised that there are a lot of students who depend on schools for their food needs. And so, this supports them on the weekends when they’re not at school to be able to get through the weekend and have the food they need that they may not otherwise have.”
Roberston, “And we have people from different businesses that have come.”
Volunteer Rhonda Howard says, ” You get one thing from each station. And you fill the bag and then these are delivered to the school so kids who you know might not have as much to eat throughout the school year are going to give these to take home. And then you take it and these people over here wrap it up.”
Janice Robertson continues, “We have kids that have come that are headed back to school and we just want to say thanks.”
Her granddaughter Riley Robertson adds, “Well, I think it’s a really great opportunity and it’s been fun to connect with my grandmother and see the way that she leads us program and just involves people from all over the community. It started off as like a church event. Now, it’s kind of a whole Chattanooga program.”
Janice agrees, ” I think it’s really cool to see it. It started on her kitchen table and now it takes up the whole gym space of our church. So. it’s really cool to see how much it’s gone over the years. I tell people that if they leave this place and they’re not joyful, something’s wrong with them. Because we try to make it a fun event, and we’re just so proud of the community for coming and supporting us.”
Hunter Hewitt was visiting from Enterprise Boulevard Church of Christ in Lake Charles, Louisianna.
He says, “We heard about the Snack Pack thing that goes on here and realizes. So really awesome mission and service for the community and realizes that could be an opportunity for us to bring back home with this. My wife and I oversee a to show back home and think we might implement it with our group. It’s not about trying to bring everybody to churches about trying to bring Jesus to others and help see to the needs of those that are in need.”
Janice Robertson concludes, “We are trying to help as many children in Hamilton County as we possibly can and we need their help also financially and volunteer, to help us feed these children that are food insecure.”
