Holiday Boxes provide meals to students over winter break.

Holiday Boxes provide meals to students over winter break.

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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — Several volunteers showed up at the Lakeshore Resource Network Sunday evening to help make some students from Ludington Area School District have nutritious meals over the winter break.  Lakeshore Food 4 Kids Backpack Program recently received a $2,500 grant from the Community Foundation for Mason County, along with many other donations. The money has helped pay for 100 Holiday Boxes filled with food, personal hygiene products and some goodies.

“Winter break is 16 days this year, which is a little longer than usual,” said Tara Autrey, one of the coordinators of Lakeshore Food 4 Kids Backpack Program. “We know that there are kids who rely on the meals we provide on the weekends and this is just a way to provide them with some nutrients over the holidays.”

The boxes contain staples such as bread, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, canned vegetables, apple sauce, fresh apples, toothbrushes, toothpaste, among other items.

According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, nearly one in four of youth in Mason County are food insecure, meaning they lack access to enough food to meet their basic needs. In addition, 52% of students at Ludington Area Schools are eligible for government-sponsored free or reduced-price meals at school. Children in need at Ludington Area Schools have access to meals at school, Lakeshore Food 4 Kids and the Orange and Black Pack program send home weekend food throughout the school year, and lunch is available at numerous area sites over the summer.

Lakeshore Food 4 Kids is modeled after the Hand 2 Hand program operated by Mason County Reformed Church which provides additional meals to students at Mason County Central Public Schools.

In addition to the community foundation, donations were received from: Orchard Market of Ludington (fresh apples), Packaging Corporation of America (boxes), Indian Summer Co-op (applesauce), Dr. Scott and Gig Rose (toothbrushes), Dr. Andy and Joy Reisterer (toothbrushes and toothpaste), Dr. Kelly and Dan King (toothbrushes and toothpaste), PEO Chapter FQ of Ludington (candy). 

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