Overview from our Zoom Call with Got Lunch Programs this week
We had the pleasure of speaking with some of the Got Lunch! programs. They are all overwhelmed by the generosity of support that they are receiving from their local communities. We are all in this together and we wanted to connect all the programs to share ideas and resources. If you want to join our next monthly call please contact me at Jenn@ChildrensAuction.com
Got Lunch Ashland & Holderness: They provide food during summer break for 34 families ( 60-70 kids ) with their team of volunteers. They prepare bags of food in addition to giving vouchers for milk, bread, and other dairy. Â During the mid-winter break, they provide vouchers for milk, bread, fruits and vegetables for $15-30 depending on how many kids in the family. They get their food at cost from their long time partnership with Bob's Shur-Fine Market. They have a summer program with a budget of about $9,000. During this challenging time the schools are providing meals for the families in need.
Contact: Elena Worrall, elena@daveelena.com
Got Lunch - Campton Thornton: They provide food during summer and vacations breaks. They normally serve 40 families ( 90-100 kids) with a budget of about $8000. They buy their food from the food bank and also give a voucher. During the pandemic, Got Lunch is preparing bags for 31 families ( 70 kids ) and families are picking up the Got Lunch bags of food every Friday when they pick up their free breakfast and lunch meals provided by the school.
Contact: Barbara Coonan, gotlunchcamptonthornton@gmail.com
Gilford Got Lunch: They are currently serving 23 families ( 28 kids ). That's up from approximately 20 during the school year, with our weekend program. They are planning to move forward with our summer program at this point. They are hoping that social distancing constraints will not prevent us from making weekly food deliveries.Â
Last year they served up to 57 children during their summer program which included fresh produce, bread and a dairy voucher from Vista. They will continue with the gift cards and have done two mailings of those and will continue as long as it is not a safe option to be delivering the bags in person.
Both Got Lunch Laconia and Gilford are a part of the program started by Shannon Buttermore from Gator Signs and the Rainbow Project. They are grateful for the funds donated from that, recognizing that Laconia has much greater needs per capita than they do. Our website has been active with donations, and for that we are very grateful!
Got Lunch Interlakes: In their summer program they normally serve 85 families but now they are up to serving 175 families ( 250 kids ) during this COVID pandemic. They are supplementing the school food by packing bags twice a week with a $10 grocery voucher and delivering them to the schools. They buy all of their food from EM Heath’s in Center Harbor for the summer program.  The vouchers they are giving out are redeemable at Hannafords in Meredith. Buses go out via their traditional bus routes where parents pick up the food from the stops. Currently, they are spending close to $3500 per week to support those in need as of this week. Individuals and companies are sponsoring a week of food. They partner with Hannafords to get all of their food. They support Meredith, Center Harbor and Sandwich school districts.
Contact: Tom Witham, milepoint8@yahoo.com
Got Lunch Laconia:
For the past nine years GOT LUNCH! Laconia has been delivering healthy groceries to the children of Laconia during the summer school vacation. In 2019 they served 500 children utilizing 247 volunteers. For this special COVID 19 crisis project they are partnering with the Laconia School District to deliver bags of groceries on the school buses. They are providing enough groceries for the weekend meals breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are averaging 270 family bags for an estimate of 540 children. They expect this project to go through June 19th for a total of 15 weeks of food deliveries.
Go to their recent video interview
Contact: Paula Gile: paula@laconiaucc.org
Got Lunch Plymouth: I the summer of 2013, Got Lunch Plymouth has been providing Lunch and supplementary food to Plymouth Elementary and High School students who have requested help. In recent years, that has included about 100 students from 55 families. The summer bags have included healthy and pantry stable lunch supplies and fresh fruit as well as coupons for vegetables at Long View Farm and a coupon for dairy products to purchase locally. Each week has also included extra pantry supplies such as cereals, pasta and canned goods.
In the early days of the pandemic, knowing that the school was providing breakfast and lunch, Got Lunch donated both money and foods to the Plymouth Food Pantry which was making food available to those who requested it on distribution days: Tuesday and Thursday, 9-11am. Plans for the coming summer are underway.
Contact: Margaret Salt: saltmarg@gmail.com
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