By: Michaela Gibson Morris
TUPELO • Tupelo/Lee County Hunger Coalition is gearing up for the summer.
For the second year, the group will be extending its weekend backpack program to provide supplemental food for students and families focused on children who qualify for free and reduced school meals. The Break Box program will aim to serve 800 students this summer.
“During the summer, they don’t have (the same) access to breakfast and lunch,” said Jason Martin, coalition executive director.
For families that are already stretching to cover rent, groceries and gas during the school year, the extra meals during the summer are extremely hard to manage.
“Food insecurity is one of the key problems in our community,” Martin said. “Twenty percent of Lee County residents are considered food insecure.”
Break Box will serve students in Pre-K through 12th grade in the Baldwyn, Lee County, Tupelo and Nettleton school districts from June until August. The program is focused on students who receive free and reduced price meals during the school year but experience gaps in the summer months. A brief questionnaire and application are available at tupeloleehungercoalition.org. It can be accessed by computer or mobile phone.
The coalition will need volunteers to pack boxes Monday and Tuesday and help at distribution sites in June, July and August. They will be able to sign up at the website, too.
The boxes are filled with shelf-stable food including milk, juice, canned vegetables and fruit and protein, like chicken and tuna. The boxes will also include heat and go meals that kids can fix in a microwave, and snack items.
Instead of distributing food once a week, the coalition will be distributing boxes monthly in June, July and August and has expanded the number of locations.
“We anticipate that will be a big help,” for both families and volunteers, Martin said.
The distribution points will be at Baldwyn Middle School, Saltillo First Baptist Church, Auburn Baptist Church, Chandlers CME Temple in Verona, Brewer United Methodist Church and the Hunger Coalition’s warehouse at the former U.S. Factory Outlet building on Eason Boulevard. Families who qualify for the boxes can choose whatever location is most convenient for them.
“We’re trying to reach people in their communities,” Martin said.
The coalition has received $60,500 through corporate and foundation sponsors and is in the process of raising another $20,000 by May 28, Martin said.
“We’re going to make the dollars go as far as they can,” Martin said.
