Buddy Bag Update

submitted by Cheyrl B., Eastern Buddy Bag Volunteer

   I want to bring our neighbors of Greentown up to date about the Buddy Bag program that is in its third year at Eastern School system.  There have been some changes in the program with the numbers of children that you currently help with your donations.  We presently pack 65 bags for your children as of January 1, 2012.
   For each child the cost is still $120.00 which is tax exempt.  Donations can be made in the amount that God directs your heart no amount will go unused. This provides enough food for each child to eat 7 meals through the weekend for 10 months of school.  If you would like to participate please send your donations to Kokomo Urban Outreach 1701 S. Locke St. Kokomo, Indiana 46902.  Please mark your donations for Eastern Buddy Bag program.
   Your kindness has been so overwhelming. Your donations have been
so consistent that the school year of 2011 thru 2012 has been completely funded with out any fund raising events this year.  Donors are kind hearted individuals, wonderful churches and the businesses that we support in Greentown.
   This year our menus have gone through some changes and we now receive peanut butter, fruit cups, and canned vegetables. The cost of these items did not inflate the cost of the meals.  We are very fortunate to be partnered with Kokomo Urban Outreach where Jeff Newton and his staff keep things flowing extremely well.
   The volunteers who deliver the totes to the buildings have been a blessing because they help lighten the load for one month and then another group of volunteers come for the next month.  Your volunteers are from Greentown Area churches.
The PTO at your school has volunteers who distribute the bags to each child's locker before your children leave school on Friday afternoon.  This program is for the free and reduced lunch program at our school.
   There is one request that I would like to make.  We are currently using plastic grocery shopping bags and our stock is getting low.  If you would be able to drop off any extra bags that you are not using we would be so thankful.  Our drop off for these bags is the First United Methodist church office building north of the elementary school parking lot located at 124 South Green street.  Their office is open Monday thru Friday 9 AM to 1 PM.
   So in closing I would like to leave a scripture that means so much to me, Matthew 25:40, The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
   I want to thank you for all that you have accomplished since January 2009.