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

Donation Bins – Hygiene Kits: Place in a one gallon re-sealable bag: two washcloths, two bars of soap, two toothbrushes, one full sized toothpaste, one full size deodorant & one wide tooth comb. Haiti VBS Supplies: Sharpie markers, paracord (available at craft stores/Amazon), gallon size Ziploc bags.
Noisy Offering – Benefits the ELCA Global Farm Challenge whose initiatives help alleviate hunger, promote education, and teach prevention against drought and natural disaster. Our youth who attend the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston will bring this offering with them. Learn more:
elca.org/globalfarmchallenge.
Sunday Coffee Servers Needed – We need more people to serve on Sunday Coffee teams-each team serves six times a year. This is a great opportunity for a family, Sojourner or Grace Group. Contact Brenda Carpenter or sign up at the Welcome Center.

Backpack Program

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Volunteers are needed to help make this ministry a reality.

Directions to Holmes Elementary

Sample Weekly Menu

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