Kidz Summer LunchBox 2018: What’s New?

Kidz Summer LunchBox invites children ages 1 – 18 to eat lunch with us, and then take additional foods home – weekdays, July 2 – August 10 (closed on July 4th) at 7 meal sites in El Dorado, including 6 GLOW Bus stops, and a walk-in meal site at the Family Worship Center.    FLYER    POSTER

GLOW Bus	Silverwood Apts.  (north side, W. Enterprise Ave.)	10:45 am	11:15 am
GLOW Bus	Skelly Elem. School  (west side of school)	11:30 am	noon
Walk In site	Family Worship Center  (701 S. Atchison St.)	11:30 am	12:30 pm
GLOW Bus	Quail Ridge Apts (north side on W. Clark Ave.)	12:10 pm	12:40 pm
GLOW Bus	Summit Park (east side on N. High Street)	1:00 pm	1:30 pm
GLOW Bus	Water Park @ N. Main (on E. 8th Ave.)	1:45 pm	2:15 pm
GLOW Bus	Forest Park / Swimming Pool (on W. 8th Ave.)	2:30 pm	3:00 pm

We are hosting our first annual Kidz LunchBox Kickoff Celebration on Saturday, June 30, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at the Family Worship Center. This is a free family-friendly event offering a nutritious lunch, activities, games, entertainment, and prizes.

The theme is “Having a Healthy Summer” by eating smart, moving more, and focusing on wellness. Kids earn raffle tickets by engaging in experiences relating to those themes, such as food tasting tables, physical activity stations, and nutrition and wellness booths. The raffle tickets they earn can be used to enter prize drawings.

 

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Showing our love for Kidz LunchBox Fans & Friends

It’s February, which means Valentine’s Day is reminding us to celebrate love – and to specially recognize those who we love, admire, and appreciate.

• First of all, we want to show our love for all the amazing, hardworking volunteers who make Kidz LunchBox possible each summer. This year is our 6th summer providing free meals for children in our community. We couldn’t do it without you!  Please click on the “2017 Volunteers” button above to see their names.  
• Also we want to take a moment to again show our love for the many awesome donors who provide the funding for the meals and costs of operating KN2E. Please click on the “Donors” button above to see who sponsored Kidz LunchBox 2017. Soon we will be updating this page to recognize donors supporting Kidz LunchBox 2018.

We love the children. We love their families. We love everyone who understands the importance of good nutrition for the healthy development of children, and supports summer meal programs!

Childhood poverty – survey results released!

Last month KN2E circulated a one-question poverty survey:

POVERTY SURVEY QUESTION What is your understanding about why one in five children in our community live with food insecurity due to poverty*? [*Poverty is defined as not having sufficient resources for basic necessities such as shelter, utilities, adequate healthy food, and clothing.] (You may provide up to 5 responses.)

We summarized the 140 responses from 37 individuals, grouping them into the following nine categories:

• Employment challenges
• Financial issues 
• Education barriers
• Character flaws
• Generational poverty
• Other barriers
• Safety net issues
• Substance use challenges
• Issues specific to El Dorado, KS

The summary listing all 140 responses is available to read and print:  Poverty Survey Response by Categories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employment challenges.
	Education barriers to income needed to support a family.
		Character flaws
			Financial barriers

Kidz LunchBox 2017 volunteers recognized

Kidz LunchBox couldn’t feed kids in the summer without dedicated and loyal volunteers! Some may only help for a shift or two, while others come weekly and more often. All were needed and appreciated.

• In 2017, we were blessed with over 100 volunteers of all ages helping at ten LunchBox meal sites and on the GLOW Bus: CLICK HERE FOR LIST
  
• Volunteers donated some 1500 hours preparing for the LunchBox, supporting daily operations for six weeks, and putting things away until next summer.
• Several volunteers came to fulfill community service hours needed for the National Honors Society and the Andover e-Academy.
• Volunteers also came from the Foster Grandparent Program at the Butler County Dept. on Aging, Flinthills Services, and local church groups.

   

              

Kidz LunchBox provides summer meals

Many thanks to the Butler County Times Gazette for publishing this awesome article about our new GLOW Bus (“Green LunchBox on Wheels”)!

Click on the green bus to read article.

GLOW Bus bringing free meals to kids soon!

Kids Need To Eat’s new Green Lunchroom on Wheels – The GLOW Bus – is ready to start taking free meals to kids on July 5, 2017. At 5 bus stops, kids are invited to eat lunch on the bus and then take home extra foods weekdays for six weeks: July 5 – August 11.

GLOW Bus schedule

• 10:00 – 10:45 am    Silverwood Apts., El Dorado
• 11:00 – 11:50 am    Family 1^st Living, Towanda
• noon  –  12:45 pm    H2O Church at 304 Main St., Towanda
• 1:00   –    1:50 pm    Quail Ridge Apt., El Dorado
• 2:00   –    2:45 pm    Forest Park / Swimming Pool, El Dorado

Other Kidz Summer LunchBox 2017 meal sites

• 11:30 am – 1:00 pm   Family Worship Center (FWC), 701 S. Atchison, El Dorado
•  noon – 1:00 pm   The Benton Church, Benton (a take-out site)

This summer KN2E is providing free lunches at its bus stops and the FWC in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), administered by the Kansas Dept. of Education. At SFSP meal sites, sponsors provide free meals to children when school is out for the summer.

Questions?  Contact Judie at 405-308-9158 (cell/text), jgstorandt@msn.com.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Volunteers Needed for Kidz LunchBox 2017

Looking for something meaningful and fun to do this summer? Maybe something you could do with your children or grandchildren – or with your church group, co-workers, or family and friends?

Kidz LunchBox 2017 needs volunteers to help feed kids this summer – to replace meals many kids eat for free at school. Children ages 1 – 18 are invited to enjoy a lunch with us at 7 meal sides, and then take home breakfast and snack foods. On Fridays kids take home extra foods for the weekend.

The LunchBox runs weekdays for six weeks, July 5 – August 11, at meal sites in El Dorado, Towanda, and Benton. Last summer more than 18,000 meals were distributed.

Volunteers assist with: set up, passing out meals, publicity and social media, transporting food, prepping produce, weekly free book days, arts & crafts days, etc.

Volunteers can sign up on a one-time basis, or as frequently as their time and energy permit. Civic and social organizations, youth groups and clubs, and co-workers and others are welcome to volunteer together. Adult volunteers are encouraged to bring children and grandchildren ages 8 and older.

NEW THIS SUMMER!

Our new GLOW Bus (“Green LunchBox on Wheels“) will take meals to where kids live and play.  Kids board the bus to eat their lunch, and then take home breakfast and other foods. There will be five bus stops:

• El Dorado, Silverwood Apts.: 10:am – 10:45 am
• Towanda, Family 1st Living: 11:am – 11:50 am
• Towanda, H2O Church on Main St.: noon – 12:45 pm
• El Dorado, Quail Ridge Apts: 1:00 – 1:50 pm
• El Dorado, Forest Park (swimming pool): 2:00 – 2:45 pm

Questions?  Contact Barbara Day, KN2E Volunteer Coordinator, bday4@cox.net, 316-323-3899 (cell/text).

The deadline to sign up to volunteer is June 19. To print the LunchBox Volunteer Registration Form:  CLICK HERE.

Kidz LunchBox 2017 is a program of Kids Need To Eat, an all-volunteer nonprofit supported by grants and donations, including: United Way of El Dorado, Dillon Stores, El Dorado Charities, George Trimble Trust, Golden Living Center, El Dorado Building Systems, and the Kids FUNd.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.