Backpack Buddies

At Dodgertown Elementary School here in Vero Beach there is a program called “Backpack Buddies.” The program started when it was discovered that many children were going home to empty refrigerators over the weekend and no groceries in the cupboards. In these difficult economic times, for many families after paying for rent and utilities and gas, there is often no money left for groceries. Thus the Backpack Buddies program came into being.

In this program, children who qualify for the program are given a backpack full of food when they leave school on Friday afternoon. They return Monday morning with an empty backpack that will then be filled again the following Friday. Before the economic downturn of the last two years about 40 children were a part of this program, the number is now up to 140.

This year the Sunday School children are giving their Sunday School offering toward this program. On Sundays, the children come with their quarters and dimes and dollar bills. Lou Smith collects and counts all that comes in, and then Louisa Zokvic takes the money to buy food for the Dodgertown backpack program. So far the Sunday School children have brought in $350.00 dollars and also donations of canned goods and non-perishables that have all amounted to over 400lbs. of food being given to fill backpacks at Dodgertown Elementary.

When Dr. Paul Hill was with us in February for the Vibrant Faith workshop he shared with us that one of the marks or “keys” that is found again and again in people of vibrant faith is service. (The other three “keys” are caring conversations, rituals, and devotions). Our youngest children from age 3 and up are living out this service in God’s name as they make it possible for other children to have a backpack filled with food each week.

Many little hands, God’s good work!
Pastor Shelly