While summer often means sleeping in or planning your next getaway, many of your neighbors are wondering how they will feed their children lunch today. During school, a free lunch meal doesn’t come out of the sparse family budget. That’s when MUST Ministries steps in with the Summer Lunch Program and brings the whole community together to help those in need. With countless, compassionate volunteers, MUST provides a nutritious lunch each summer weekday to thousands of children in seven counties. Since MUST can’t do it alone, the generosity of our communities makes it possible.
Pledge Lunches - 6,500-7,000 needed daily
Your family or group can get together and prepare lunches according to the MUST Summer Lunch Menu and Guidelines. Have the group leader contact the MUST Summer Lunch coordinator in your area and coordinate the best date/menu for your group. Instructions to drop off lunches at the Host Site will come from your coordinator. While there is no specific number of lunches you will need to make, please note that some Host Sites are larger than others and you may be asked to drop off in different locations. Our cients deeply appreciate your generosity and spirit of service! MUST Ministries couldn’t operate without generous volunteers like you!
We even have a Six Weeks til Summer checklist where you can collect the much needed items before the program starts.
Host a Supply Drive
There are times when a juice box will break or a group falls short on lunches (by even just a few). The volunteers at the Host Site will need to make a complete lunch in a matter of minutes, so it’s important for the Host Site to have an inventory of items on hand. By hosting a supply drive, you will give the Host Site the peace of mind that a lunch can be made and a child will not have to go hungry. The following is a list of lunch items:
• Brown Lunch Bags • Ziploc Sandwich/Snack Bags
• Juice Boxes • Salty Snacks (individually packaged)
• Peanut Butter • Sweet Snacks (individually packaged)
• Fruit Cups • Apples • Small Oranges • Applesauce
• Granola Bars • Protein Bars • Jelly (grape is best)
• Unopened Lunch Meats (turkey, ham,bologna)
• Plastic Gloves • Unopened Cheese (individually wrapped)
• No bananas!
Please contact the MUST Summer Lunch Coordinator in your area for delivery instructions.
Color Lunch Bags
Who wants to give the lunches to the children in a plain brown bag? No one! Jazz it up by coloring or decorating some plain bags for us to hand out. Remember to make some for boys and girls. Are you good at joke telling? Write the joke on the top of the bag and the punch line on the bottom. Then the whole group can enjoy your joke. Remember the tweens and teens – write something inspirational/encouraging on the bags. The children love to see artwork on the bags. It brings a smile to everyone!
Volunteer in one of our many positions
MUST Summer Lunch Program cannot exist without the generous community around our Host Sites. If your church or organization would like to become a Host Site, please contact MUST Ministries for further information.
LEAD VOLUNTEER: Each Host Site needs a couple of Lead Volunteers to oversee the daily routine. Under the guidance of MUST Ministries, you will ensure the day to day activities of the MUST Summer Lunch Program at your Host Site.
CHECKER & PACKER: Each Host Site needs Checkers & Packers. You will ensure the freshness and accuracy of the many lunches distributed. This is the perfect chance for your children to help volunteer their summer mornings. MUST Ministries Volunteer Policy is age10 and older with their parent or guardian. You may volunteer to be a Checker & Packer once or several times during the summer.
DRIVER & RIDERS: You will be asked to commit to driving a route at least once a week and allow a background check. There must be a Rider for every Driver. Grab a friend and make a summer time commitment. You will get to see the children each day when you deliver the smiles and hugs, the MOST rewarding part of this program!
Every volunteer position is important. Please contact the MUST Summer Lunch Coordinator for your area and get on the schedule. The children need you!
Friday is Book Day
On Fridays, we give the children a lunch and a book. Many times children don’t have their own books and they have to return the books to school libraries before summer begins. With this program, the children are permitted to keep the gift of a book each week. Please consider collecting gently used books for all ages (we serve children 1 – 18). Your MUST Summer Lunch Coordinator in your area can provide delivery instructions. Be creative in ways to collect!
Meals on a Mission
Does your group have something to teach? Or a great week-long activity? What about a local mission? We have the perfect plan for you! Ask the MUST Summer Lunch Coordinator about our Meals on a Mission. Your group leader and MUST Summer Lunch Coordinator will work together to find the location that fits all needs. While there are some limitations, this project is great for all involved.
Without the generosity of the communities surrounding the MUST Summer Lunch Program, we would be unable to help thousands of children each weekday. Please consider getting involved. Contact the MUST Summer Lunch Coordinator in your area for further assistance.
MUST Summer Lunch Team