In the fall of 2023, Suzanne Foster, Schools Director, Linda Thill and Pam Young, CEB Liaisons, met with guidance counselors from Charles E. Bennett Elementary (CEB) to discuss ways to reach students and their families in need of assistance since Maggie’s Meals was discontinued in May of 2023. Both the Women’s Club and staff at CEB recognized the ongoing need to feed hungry children, and partnered with Clay County School’s Project REACH, the acronym for Resources for Educational Access, Community and Hope. Project REACH is a County-wide school initiative where social workers from the schools work directly with families needing assistance.
The social workers at CEB identified 19-20 children that currently qualified for this project and in December 2023, volunteer members packed non-perishable food boxes for their families, that were then delivered to the social workers for distribution to the families. The Women’s Club at no time had knowledge about the families receiving the food provided by the Club.
Today, May 9, marked the final food box packaging and delivery to CEB for distribution to the families, as school will be ending in a few weeks. Today’s packers were Helen DiGuardia, Adele Murphy and Jenn St. Mary, in addition to Pam and Linda.
Thank you to all who volunteered to pack over the last few months! Many thanks, also, to Linda and Pam for all their work in planning the menus, purchasing the food, and organizing the packing and delivery to CEB.
