[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are happy to report that our Read & Feed program was a great success for our sixth year!  We registered 40 second and third grade readers from area elementary schools who had been identified as needing assistance with reading.  We hoped to “jump start” their fall schooling by providing them with six mornings of reading experiences as well as food for breakfast and lunch.

With the larger number of students, we split them into four groups of 10 and added a fourth experience making each experience only 1/2 hour long.  We think this worked out much better for everyone!  We used most of our church to have the students read to us or to trained dogs, to have us read to them, to play word games, to sing songs and play games using music, to create various arts and craft projects, and to have lots of fun!  We used our new kitchen to serve them breakfast and lunch the days they were here.  We sent food home for them and their siblings for the remainder of the two weeks.  We also sent them home with books that were contributed by the congregation.  On the last day, the deacons sent home our back-to-school bookbags and new school clothes with the families that had indicated a need/interest.

Parents were overwhelmingly positive about the program.  All of the students were excited and enthused to participate.  The reading specialists at the various elementary schools have indicated that we are making a positive difference!

We want to thank the MANY volunteers from our church and St. Jude’s who made this outreach possible.  Thank you to our congregation for their support of our mission budget that enables this type of outreach.  We also want to thank Home Depot for supplying craft projects as well as volunteers to assist in their assembly.  We want to thank Jet’s Pizza and Uncle Ray’s Dairyland for contributing the food for our final lunch; it was a huge hit with the students!![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid initial_loading_animation=”none” grid_id=”vc_gid:1503274245768-b1513bf140d5c10ba7ea566a11778a71-5″ include=”45279,45278,45277,45276,45275,45274,45273,45272,45271″][/vc_column][/vc_row]