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Snack in a Backpack volunteers packed lunches Wednesday, May 20. Among those packing were Executive Director Debby Beck, Mike Nunnally, Fred Wright, Gordon Riddoch, Tim May, Jeanie May, Bailey Mundy, Vicki Smith, Mary Kay Bailey, Mary Langford, Kirk Williams and Rev. Ron Wikander.
Families and children in the area who are in need of meals during the summer will have multiple options this year.
Faith Presbyterian Church, Fannin County Family Connection, Snack in a Backpack, Temple Baptist Church and St. Luke’s Anglican Church have joined together to offer a free Summer Meal Program for Fannin County children in need ages 18 and under.
“Your contributions are necessary due to the increased number of families in need and the shortage of available food from our traditional sources,” Snack in a Backpack Executive Director Debby Beck said. “We welcome and invite all local churches, area food programs, community organizations, and caring citizens to assist us in providing food insecure children with a nutritious meal over the summer school break.”
The organizations needs help in order to provide 800 deliveries a week during the 9-week summer break program, which starts. Volunteers are needed to help with packing and delivery, and packers are needed on Mondays to pack the meal bags.
The Summer Meal Program will deliver from June 1 to July 30, Mondays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon, rain or shine at the following locations: Brooks Summit Apartments, Blue Ridge Housing Authority, Highway 5 Trailer Parks, North Court Apartments, Jones Street Apartments, Park Brookstone Apartments and Mineral Springs Apartments. Pick-up will also be available from 11 a.m. to p.m. rain or shine at East Fannin Elementary School.
Those who wish to volunteer for delivery can email office@faithpresbyterianusa.org, and those who would like to pack can email backpackfannin@gmail.com. More information can be found by phone at 706-374-5912.
Fannin County Family Connection will continue to serve families in need with their food pantry, which is located at 501 Industrial Park in Blue Ridge.
The pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
A cart full of food will be provided for families meeting their income requirement and who are residents of Fannin or Polk counties. During the summer months, families will be allowed to visit two times per month in order for children to have access to adequate food. More information can be found by phone at 706-632-6063.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will offer free meals at the Fannin County Recreation Department, which is located at 370 Tom Boyd Road in Blue Ridge. They will have breakfast Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m, and lunch from noon to 1 p.m.
More information can be found by phone at 706-946-1130.
The Ridge Community Church will host food pick-ups for families and children as well. Pickups will be ever second Tuesday at Branch Baptist Church, which is hosted by McCaysville Baptist Church, located at 104 Toccoa Ave. in McCaysville, every fourth Monday at the Copper Basin Crisis Network, which is located at 5260 Highway 64 in Copperhill, and every fourth Sunday at The Ridge Community Church, which is located at 960 Millholland Road in Mineral Bluff.
More information can be found by phone at 706-258-2330.
Morganton Baptist Church, which is located at 9511 Old Highway 76 in Morganton, will also host a food and clothing pick-up for families and children on the first, second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
More information can be found by phone at 706-374-5100.