Recognizing that there is a need to provide healthy meals for the weekends, the Got Lunch leadership
and school personnel at the Rindge Memorial School and put in place a weekend meals pilot program.
It was quickly evident that a need existed and that the pilot program was able to successfully address
the need. In the fall of 2017 the Health Kids Weekend Bags program was established in the elementary
schools.
The school staff identifies the children who would benefit from the program and distribute bags of groceries each Friday that school is in session. Either the students or the parents take the bags home. This program is confidential and the identity of the students participating is only known by the school staff.
We are so grateful to all the people, organizations and businesses who responded to support Got Lunch in 2020. Because of your generosity we are able to provide our program to any child in the Jaffrey Rindge communities who seeks our help.
202 Truck and Equipment - American Legion Auxiliary - Laser Pro Foundations - Parent Teacher Group - P.O.O.R. - RAMS - Rindge Chamber of Commerce -
Simple Bread - Walmart - Weidner Services
The Mission of the Got Lunch program in the Jaffrey Rindge community is to ensure that all children always have access to a healthy meals.
The Got Lunch is a volunteer-run program and is funded through donations received from individuals, organizations and businesses in the community.
The Got Lunch program has three components:
1. Got Lunch
Groceries, including fresh fruits and vegetables are delivered to the children's homes each week during school break or summer vacation.
2. Healthy Kids/Weekend Bags:
Bags with groceries to provide healthy meals for the weekend are available for those who need additional support during the school year. Please email gotlunch@rindgeucc.org to enroll in the Healthy Kids/Weekend Bags program.
3. The Breakfast Club -Jaffrey Rindge Middle & High School Food Pantry
Middle and High School students will be able to access a food pantry during school hours to provide nutritional food as needed for a healthy lunch, snack or to take home.
To create a program that addresses the food insecurity of middle and high school students,
the Got Lunch program coordinators, worked together wit members of the school staff and
a group of students. After several months of planning, the Breakfast Club (the Jaffrey
Rindge Middle and High School Food Pantry) started operating in mid-January, 2019. It offers healthy food for lunches, snacks or to take home. Students have committed to volunteer their time during the school day to ensure the food is distributed as needed. Got Lunch volunteers will be working closely with the students and staff and adjust the program as needed.
Funding to develop and implement this program was provided by the Jaffrey Rindge Rotary Club.
Recognizing that many children in the Jaffrey-Rindge school district are dependent on the
healthy lunch program provided by the school to provide proper nutrition, but that no
such program existed while school was in recess, the First Congregational Church and
Society UCC put in place the Got Lunch Program. Got Lunch deliveries first started
in the summer of 2013.
Once a week, for the weeks trough summer vacation and during the winter break in December, the winter recess in February and the spring break in April, the children receive enough packaged food along with fresh fruits and vegetables to provide 7 healthy lunches and several breakfasts.
Children are enrolled in the program in two different ways.
Participation in the program is confidential. The only individuals aware of the names of the individuals receiving bags are those on the leadership team. Drivers have the addresses of recipients, but not the names of children receiving bags.
6 PAYSON HILL ROAD
RINDGE, NH 03461
603-899-5722
First Congregational Church
United Church of Christ