Feeding the future of South Dallas
by PHILIP PETER, Missions Advisory Council
As Kathy
Parkhurst
so adeptly
said during a
conversation
one
Sunday in
December, “We do a great
job of writing checks, but
we could do a better job
of rolling up our sleeves
and getting our children
involved.” And with that,
since many of us identified
with that statement, a new
multigenerational mission
project at UPUMC was born.
Beginning in May of
2014, the Genesis Sunday
School class will take on
a role feeding children in
our community. Through
“Blessings In A Backpack
(BIB),” a national 501(c)
(3) organization, we will
focus on providing food for
elementary school children
having little or no food to
eat on weekends.
Local BIB programs
focus on schools with high
percentages of students
receiving free breakfast and
lunch at school, and provide
the children with nonperishable food items to take
home each weekend of the
school year.
Aside from participation
in the National School Meal
Program, BIB programs
focus on U.S.D.A. classified
“food deserts,” areas in
which affordable, nutritious
food is difficult to obtain.
There are no grocery stores
in close proximity, but only
convenience stores where
salty snacks, candy, alcohol
and tobacco products are
readily available, and fresh
fruits and vegetables are
rarely seen. School children
in these food-insecure
areas are at a significant
UPUMC | MAY 2014
nutritional disadvantage,
and need our help.
The Genesis Class is
pleased to have founded
a local BIB program and
partnered with the Uplift
Luna Preparatory School.
Of the 350 students at Uplift
Luna, 85% receive federal
meal assistance, and the
faculty has been anxiously
and actively searching for
a program like this. These
teachers are eyewitnesses to
the consequences of hunger
and poor nutrition, resulting
in weakened immune
systems, lower IQs, shorter
attention spans, and lower
academic achievement.
After meeting with the entire
faculty in mid-April, we are
all very excited to be able to
provide these students with
the sustenance their young
bodies need.
In an effort to help
overcome this barrier to
success, we have committed
to providing non-perishable
food items for a minimum
of 50 children for the next
three years. Each week of
the school year, we’ll pack
bags of ready-to-eat foods,
such as oatmeal, soup, and
macaroni & cheese, and
deliver the bags on Friday
mornings for the children to
take home.
This is a multi
generational service
opportunity. Not only will we
serve children, but we would
like our UPUMC children to
learn to serve. If they are old
enough to lift a 5-ounce can
of tuna, they are old enough
to serve the Lord by feeding
children of our community.
Jesus told Simon Peter
in John 21:15, “Feed my
lambs,” and that’s exactly
what we’re going to do. If
your family or organization
WAYS
TO
SERVE
Philip got the idea for Blessings in a
Backpack from his brother Kevin and his
wife Melissa Peter. They attend Holy Spirit
Episcopal Church in Houston, serving
Blackshear Elementary for two years.
has an interest in getting
involved, reach out for us
at upliftluna.bib@gmail.
com. We’ll be looking
for volunteers to pack
backpacks each week
starting in August. With a
dozen volunteers, we can
pack bags in a matter of
minutes. Your participation
in this mission will be
welcomed. Please join us, if
you feel called to roll up your
sleeves and get involved.
On Saturday, May
17, the North Texas
Conference will
partner with mission
organizations such
as Dallas Bethlehem
Center to serve
alongside our neighbors
on Change the World
Day 2014. Join the us to
take part in one of the
following:
• Prepare 100 gift
bags for Women’s
Empowerment
luncheon.
• Pass out flyers and
letting them know
about DBC services.
• Clean up vacant lot
off Hatcher St. (from
Leland to C.F. Hawn
175)
• Organize storage
room and gather
documents in need of
shredding
• Paint iron gate around
DBC campus
• Clear brush, till ground
around garden
raised beds, and lay
landscaping netting.
• Paint playground
fence
• Plant flower beds with
summer colors.
Sign up at the
Connection Center or
online at upumc.org.
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