The Stevensville Summer Food Program has received a Rapp Family Foundation grant of $5000. This money will go to buy more food, according to Frannie Schmitz, coordinator of the program which provides free bags of easily-prepared food that school children can take home.
Schmitz came up with the idea for the food giveaway when she learned that there was no longer a summer meal program for school kids in Stevensville. She quickly put together a plan to have volunteers put together bags of donated food that could be distributed weekly.
Schmitz said that the program has served 250 meals so far, with 90 going out during a recent week. The meals are available to any child 18 and under and no registration is required. The meals are given out once per week, on Wednesdays. If children need food, they can pick it up from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the parking lot of the Stevensville United Methodist Church or from 6 to 6:45 p.m. at the parking lot of the Stevensville Senior Center. Simultaneously, Soul Supper serves free sit-down meals to anyone who wants one at the Senior Center every Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Up to this point, the community has sustained the program, said Schmitz. She said that food can be donated at Burnt Fork Market, Super 1 Foods and First Security Bank. A food drive was held during Stevensville Western Heritage Days and 330 pounds of food was collected. High school senior Maddie Sacry coordinated the food drive. Schmitz said that any donated items that aren’t appropriate for the bagged meals get put out during distribution times so families can take some items they might need or want.
The bags of meals are put together at the LDS church on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. According to Schmitz, volunteers are always needed, especially to fill in for vacations, etc. Interested people can reach her by email at: franniela70@gmail.com.
People who want to donate food can do so at Burnt Fork Market, Super 1 Foods and First Security Bank.
Schmitz said she was really thankful for the Rapp grant, and also to the Western Heritage Days committee which will be making a sizable donation from the proceeds of the event. The Rapp grant was submitted by Project 59870, a Stevensville non-profit that helps coordinate and facilitate projects that benefit the greater Stevensville community. Project 59870 also manages the finances for Stevensville Western Heritage Days which is now put on by a citizen committee since there is no longer a business association in Stevensville. Schmitz said that with these two big donations she thinks there might be enough money to make it through this summer. “Also Mark and Jason at Super 1 Foods have been very generous with food donations, especially when we fall short,” said Schmitz.
If there are any remaining funds at the end of the summer, “we’ll be helping to fill the pantry at the middle school if necessary when school starts,” said Schmitz. She also said that even when summer is over, she hopes to continue the program, but it depends on a few factors.
