Summertime Oconee Food For Kids Program Fills Gap for Families in Need

Local businesses and organizations are teaming up with the Oconee Area Resource Council (OARC) this summer to help combat hunger.

While the OARC's Oconee Food for Kids program during the school year sends home supplemental food items with nearly 100 students on the weekends, the summer version, in its inaugural year, serves entire families by providing them with healthy breakfasts and lunches for the week.

"What we've decided to do this summer is fill the gap for some of the families that we work with during the school year by providing a box of food," program director Pat Berger explained.

Included are staples such as cereal, boxed milk, soups, crackers, tuna, and pasta.  But coordinators are also working with Oconee Farmers Market vendors and local grocery stores to add fresh fruits and vegetables like strawberries and carrots to the boxes.

There's also an educational component, OARC director Ann Hester pointed out, in the form of recipe cards and informational pamphlets from the Oconee County Cooperative Extention Office.

Ten different local groups are each sponsoring a week by donating $300 and sending three volunteers to box food and help with the distribution on Tuesdays.

This summer, 16 families with a total of 42 children are benefiting from the program.

"We hope that after this year that next year we can gear it up and serve even more of the families that have this need in the community," Berger said.

To learn more about the Oconee Food for Kids program or to make contributions, contact the Oconee Area Resource Council at 706-769-4974.

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