CrossNet lunch program gears up for season

Before the CrossNet Ministries summer lunch program kicked off a year ago, Amy Marburger, food and nutrition manager for the organization, expected to be feeding 190 ELANCO School District students by the end of the season. Marburger was off a little. "At the end of the summer (of 2023), we were (feeding) 240 students a day," Marburger recalled.

This year, when the program starts on Monday, June 3, lunches will be available at three locations on Mondays and Thursdays. Lunches, which are for children ages 1 to 21 living within the ELANCO area, are offered to individuals who receive free and reduced-cost meals during the school year. Lunches may be picked up at CrossNet, 110 W. Franklin St., New Holland, from 11 a.m. to noon. Pickup at Petra Church, 565 Airport Road, New Holland, will be from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Lunches at Pine Grove Church, 1194 Reading Road, Bowmansville, may be picked up from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

For 2024, the schedule will vary once over the summer. "We are only closed on Thursday, July 4," noted Marburger, who added for that week only, all five lunches will be offered for pickup on Monday, July 1. "I thought I would streamline and do it all (at once)," Marburger explained.

Marburger is asking for parents to sign up students who will participate by Friday, May 24, so she can have enough lunches prepared for the first day of the program. "We take new sign-ups anytime during the summer," Marburger explained, "but I need to be prepared for the first day." Students who do not have transportation to one of the pickup sites should contact their school principal or call CrossNet at 717-355-2454 for assistance.

Bag lunches will include a main food item, fruit, chips, a dessert, and a beverage. Additional snack items will be included when available. The program is in need of individually packaged snack items, such as granola bars and individual cereal cups, along with supplies like resealable sandwich-size plastic bags and foil sheets, which are utilized when hot items are included in the lunches.

Marburger said she is thankful to local businesses that donate to the lunch program, including Yoder's Country Market, Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Shady Maple Farm Market, Sharp Shopper Grocery Outlet, Dutch-Way Farm Market, Hoober Produce, Four Seasons Produce, Herr Foods Inc., and Tyson Foods.

The seasonal program requires more than 200 volunteers to pack and deliver lunches and to pick up donations. Volunteer hours will vary. Those who wish to volunteer may visit https://tinyurl.com/2bh8ppt4.

To supplement the lunch offerings, CrossNet is looking for groups of volunteers willing to supply one-dish meals throughout the summer. "We are trying to find a couple churches or other groups that are willing to make casseroles we can box for meals," explained Marburger. "It would be a new partnership, and it's not limited to casseroles, but they are the easiest thing to make for large quantities."

Readers who would like to learn more about the program may visit http://www.elancocross.org.