We are happy to report that our Read & Feed program was a great success for our second year!  We hosted 29 second and third grade readers from the Fenton elementary schools who had been identified as needing assistance with their 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.  We used most of our church to have the students read to us or trained dogs, to have us read to them, to play word games, to sing songs and play games using music, to create various craft and science 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.  Volunteers created a book bag for each student; we used these bags each day and then sent them home with several books that were contributed by the congregation.

Reading to the therapy dogs was a big hit with the students!  Parents were overwhelmingly positive about the program.  All of the students were enthused to participate.

We want to thank the nearly 70 volunteers from our church and St. Jude’s who made this outreach possible.  We want to thank the congregation for their support of our mission budget that enables this type of outreach.  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!