PATH silently helps feed needy students in Leechburg
Ever been so hungry you couldn't concentrate? Imagine how that affects a child.
With more than 40 percent of Leechburg Area School District students eligible for free or reduced lunches, the need to provide weekend food support at home has sparked a pilot program — Providing Alternatives To Hunger.
The Leechburg Food Bank and Leechburg High School's Interact Club have partnered to provide weekly food bags to students who need them.
Volunteers pack and organize about 45 food bags for distribution every Friday. The bags are assembled the day before by a core group of five students.
“You never really know a kid's home life situation, so it is rewarding to help out,” said club member Amber Stull, a senior.
A Friday delivery ensures that each child recipient from kindergarten through sixth grade has food to snack on over the weekend.
“We deliver with total discretion,” said Michelle Ferretti, teacher and community service coordinator at Leechburg High School. “The students don't know who gets the bags, they just deliver a specified number of bags to each teacher and the teachers deliver them to the eligible student.”
The bags when delivered by the secret snack fairies are each emblazoned with a positive message such as, “Smile and be happy.”
“The feedback from the teachers has been so positive,” said Ciera Gilson, a senior club member. “The kids are always excited to get their bags.”
Ferretti consults with school food service coordinator, Kelly Price, to ensure the snacks meet nutritional guidelines followed by the district. The brown sacks may include Goldfish crackers, granola bars, chicken noodle soup, juice, beef sticks, cereal, oatmeal, fruit cups, pretzels, Trix bars and Nutrigrain bars.
“I was shocked to learn that so many students needed food for the weekend,” says club member Destiney Beavers, a senior. “I am so happy this program can help.”
The program is funded by The Leechburg Food Bank, which operates out of Leechburg United Methodist Church.
Each bag costs about $3 to fill, and expenses for the first 11 weeks of the program have run about $1,600. Donations to date are $1,055.
Program sponsors include Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church Board of Deacons, First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Children of Forks Zion Lutheran Church, and proceeds from a 2015 Spring into Life Concert.
The Rev. Terri Landers, president of the Leechburg Ministerial, is pleased with the community support of the PATH program.
“We saw a need in our community and we are getting the donations to run this program,” Landers said. “God works in such awesome ways.”
Pastor Lisa Lyon of Cross Roads church wants to get the word out to any family in need of food that there is help locally.
“We want families to know about PATH and the food bank. We feel there are families in Leechburg that are not being served and we can help,” said Lyon.
The Interact Club has a goal of implementing the PATH program for the entire school year beginning this fall.
“I will be the only student returning,” said junior club member Bailey Pallus. “I am encouraging my fellow students to join Interact this fall — we are helping make a difference in students' lives.”
Joyce Hanz is a contributing writer for Trib Total Media.
