by Emily Rotthaler-In one and a half hours of volunteering, seven players of Morningside’s women’s soccer team, English professor David Elder, and Pastor Andy Nelson helped the Food Bank of Siouxland assemble 700 weekend lunch bags for children in need.
Freshman Taylar Johnson said the best part about volunteering was knowing that they were “helping to make a difference for children all over Siouxland”. “I think this program is wonderful and so very important to have and I can’t wait for our team to help out there again,” added Johnson.
Several members of the Morningside College community have spent time volunteering at the Foodbank so far. According to Nelson, students can sign up through Campus Ministry at the beginning of the semester and then go out in groups to volunteer.
Nelson said, “Campus Ministry signs up for three or four times [every semester] and I know the Accounting club has gone.” He added that several other student groups on campus have signed up to do a volunteer shift.
The lunch packs are part of the Food Bank’s Backpack Program that was established in 2006. Every week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, volunteer groups assemble around 700 lunch packs in what is called the “assembly line”. The packs include juice packs and microwavable meals, as well as smaller snacks and cereal.
On Fridays, these lunch packs are then brought to the ten participating elementary schools in Siouxland where they are handed out to children in need. According to the Food Bank, these children would otherwise have little to no food during the weekends.
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