Sheridan Lutheran Church Backpack Program

Genny Straube

Kristi Hoffmeyer, Sheridan Coordinator

Sheridan partners with the Food Bank of Lincoln and Lincoln Public Schools' BackPack Program. The BackPack Program provides food for children and their families to help them make it through the weekend. The goal of the program is to provide a backpack of food for at least 30% of families on free/reduced lunch at each LPS elementary school.

We sponsor backpacks for Holmes Elementary. For many of these families these backpacks fill a need for their children that they cannot meet themselves. The backpacks are typically handed out on Friday after school, and often children who are not on the list wait to see if another child is sick so that they can take home a backpack of food.

The program uses six individual menus that are rotated weekly and include fresh fruit weekly and a milk voucher monthly.

There are three main components to the program. Volunteer schedules are managed through our online scheduling tool available at sheridanlutheran.ivolunteer.com. When you signup for a shift you will be sent instructions for your shift. For more information on how to get involved with the BackPack Program please contact us at (402) 423-4769 or serve@sheridanlutheran.org.

Pack the food sacks – During the week volunteers are needed to pack the food into sacks, which will be delivered to the schools. The packing group meets at the Retreat Center at noon on Sundays.
Deliver the food sacks to schools – The food can be picked up anytime after Sunday afternoon. Ideally you will have a pickup, SUV or minivan to use for delivery. You may also want to bring with a helping hand to help load and unload the totes since they are rather large. The food is packed into 30-gallon totes. Holmes has 13 totes. Delivery for Holmes Elementary should happen between 1-2pm on Thursday of each week.
Distribute the food to the children – This may just be the most exciting part, but does require a Level II Volunteer Status from LPS. Volunteers need to arrive at the school in time to place the food bags in the backpacks along with the fresh fruit that will already be at school. Volunteers need to be there from 1:45-2:45pm. Someone from the distribution team should take the empty bins with them and drop them off at the church on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. If your team will not be able to do this please let us know so we can make other arrangements.

Directions to Holmes Elementary

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Pancake Mix
Syrup
Pop Tarts
Juice Concentrate
Egg Voucher
Apple
Orange

Volunteer Here

June Noisy Offering – Our noisy offering benefits the Habitat for Humanity Faith Build taking place this summer. Abdelkarim and Sailwa applied for the Habitat Homebuyer Program so they could build a future for their children. Sheridan joins with several other churches in Lincoln to help provide safe, affordable housing for this family through Habitat for Humanity.
Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach – Every month, Sheridan hosts a meal at Matt Talbot. MTKO offers services to the hungry, homeless, recovering and those on fixed incomes. We serve 140-200 people. We need 2-4 more volunteers to help with set up and/or serving. Can you help make a difference by volunteering? Contact the church office for more information.

Backpack Program

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Volunteers are needed to help make this ministry a reality.

Directions to Holmes Elementary

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