MeLinda’s Fine Gifts donates to Bac-Pac Ministries
Published 7:00 am Saturday, March 29, 2014
Jodi Marze | Picayune Item
Bac-Pac donation: Local retailer, Melinda Shaw of MeLinda’s Fine Gifts, has given both monetary and food donations to Bac-Pac Ministries. The program serves children in local elementary schools with take home bags of food they can make themselves.
Melinda Shaw of MeLinda’s Fine Gifts presented Bac-Pac Ministries representative Cecilia Byrd Richards with donations collected in a food drive. Shaw also proided a donation of 10 percent of the business sales from Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22.
Shaw said this is the first year she heard about the program. She decided to help because she knows there is a great need for food assistance in the community due to the state of our economy.
Shaw, an avid foodie and cooking enthusiast, is a firm believer in the importance of nutrition for child development.
“Many of the families in our community are having a difficult time making ends meet,” Shaw said. “Children, from all walks of life, are leaving school on Friday and returning on Monday extremely hungry and weak, for whatever the reason. Many only have school for a main source of their nutrition. That just saddens my soul.”
Bac-Pac ministries is a national program that has proven successful in helping allieviate hunger among school age children.
“Our goal is to serve underprivileged children within the Picayune area,” Richards said. “We currently serve 145 children, in three elementary schools, each week by providing child friendly food items. We target children that are heavily dependent on the school breakfast/lunch program and the Bac-Pac food items supplement meals over the weekends.
“The items are bagged, delivered weekly to the local elementary schools and dispersed to the children on Fridays.”
The program is completely dependent on donations. Children can be sponsored weekly for $3 or monthly for $12.
If someone prefers to donate food items, here is a small list of acceptable items that Richards recommends: Bottled water, pudding cups, fruit snacks, pop tarts, grits, oatmeal, cereal boxes, Vienna sausage, potted meat, ravioli, soup, Kraft easy mac, ramen noodles, crackers, raisins, animal crackers, breakfast/nutrition bars. Each item should be individually wrapped and child friendly.
Items can be dropped off at the First United Methodist Church office, at 323 North Haugh Ave., or MeLinda’s Fine Gifts at the Top of the Hill location.
