Peoria Church Assembles Student Snack Pacs

As the new school year gets under way hundreds of students face the weekend and holidays without enough to eat. The Peoria Church of the Brethren in conjunction with neighborhood Hines School assemble over 510 “Snack Pacs” to be distributed to children in K through 4th grades at the school Friday afternoons.

Last school year the Church assembled 2,214 “Snack Pacs” with 8,856 nutritious snacks to feed 550+ grade school children. The church follows the school’s peanut free/nut free policy in assembling the Pacs which include cereal bars, fruit rollups, oatmeal packets, applesauce cups, ramen noodles and crackers. The contents vary from time to time for variety. Other items that have been included in the “Snack Pacs” were beef sticks, box of raisins and microwave popcorn.

The school allows us to include a written note in the Pacs telling the students “Each snack pack is assembled with love and care for you.” We are also allowed to include our name and invitations to church events like Bible School, Church picnics, movies, and other events.

The “Snack Pac” program begins its second year at Peoria with help from the District of Illinois- Wisconsin who provided a grant from the “Missions and Motor” fund.

Response from the school and students has been heartwarming. We heard stories of the children sharing their food with siblings. One boy started his own snack pack program by sharing his food with a younger neighbor. Teachers and administrators felt encouraged and supported in their work and the children express joy in knowing that others in the community care about them. Those who organized and initiated this program at the church are Terry and Sue Grab and Jeanne Stachnik.