A new partnership with Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank is helping volunteers from Grace Christian Reformed Church serve high school students lunch every Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach week I let them know what we\u2019re looking for and if they have an abundance then they send a few things over to us and then if we have leftovers then we send stuff back,\u201d Kapteyn said, noting financial donations especially in the form of gift cards would be welcomed if anyone was wishing to contribute.<\/p>\n
In terms of the partnership, Kapteyn said any leftovers are individually packaged and sent back to the Food Bank to be dispersed to those who could use a meal.<\/p>\n
On this particular Wednesday, more than 100 grilled cheese sandwiches, to be served alongside tomato soup, caesar salad, chips and desserts items, should have been enough, but the line kept growing.<\/p>\n
That led to a scramble to make more grilled cheese to ensure everyone was served during the high school lunch hour break.<\/p>\n
Most Wednesdays during the school year, a dedicated group of volunteers from Grace CRC at the east end of Cobourg, prepare and serve lunch to high school students. No strings attached. The students show up, eat a good meal, share conversation with their friends and head back to school.<\/p>\n
\u2018What\u2019s 4 Lunch?\u2019 was created in 2019 as three members of the church, while eating lunch, thought it would be great to offer a free student meal as a way to connect with the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had nine kids the very first time and it wasn\u2019t even upstairs by the kitchen,\u201d said Grace CRC youth director Emily Kapteyn. \u201cWe were downstairs and we had pizza. We just sat in our youth room.\u201d<\/p>\n
They had a goal to grow to 50 students by Christmas of that year and came close. Then COVID shutdowns and restrictions impacted the program until spring of last year.<\/p>\n
Since its return, the program has grown. Youth members of the church helped spread the word and Kapteyn created an Instagram page (@graceyouth440). A sign out front of the church at 440 King East also promotes the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we get anywhere between 85 to 100,\u201d Kapteyn said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had over 100.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was the case this past Wednesday in the church\u2019s fellowship hall when the students arrived in cars and by foot to get that week\u2019s meal. The majority of students head there from nearby Cobourg Collegiate Institute, though some students come from St. Mary Catholic Secondary School if they can make it as the meal is open to all high school students.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like the community. We get a lot of people from different grades and we have a couple people from St. Mary\u2019s come down,\u201d said student Cole Snoek. \u201cEveryone has a nice chat with everyone else and it\u2019s good food.\u201d<\/p>\n
Snoek is partial to the chicken wraps, but loves all the offerings which in recent weeks have included ham and cheese sliders, spaghetti and meatballs, a hot dog bar, tacos and a pancake breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good spread, for sure,\u201d he remarked. \u201cI know of some people, whether they can\u2019t make a lunch in the morning or they don\u2019t have any time, you can come down here and get a good meal. I think that\u2019s appreciated by a lot (of students).\u201d<\/p>\n
Twin sisters, Norma and Sabrina Bowers, agree that it\u2019s a great opportunity for socialization and some students really benefit from an added meal as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot every kid has enough stuff at home to make a lunch so this program really helps them out,\u201d Norma said. \u201cMy favourite part about the lunch is that for the kids that don\u2019t have it they can come and they don\u2019t have to worry about not having a lunch because there\u2019s food here meant for them to come and take and enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sabrina added, \u201cthey can socialize with their friends\u2026hang out, talk, eat good food and all that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kapteyn said it\u2019s great to see students enjoying the food and the company. Some even make menu requests. One favourite was lasagna when the crowd was smaller, but that\u2019s more challenging to have on the menu for a larger turnout. They offer vegetarian options as much as possible as well.<\/p>\n
Recipes that can be made in large batches work best as the dedicated volunteers prepare the meals. Food prep and set up begins around 9:30 a.m. with cleanup finished by 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a really solid core of volunteers from our church and they\u2019ve been amazing,\u201d Kapteyn said. \u201cEvery week they\u2019re here - they\u2019re hardworkers. It\u2019s a great team and atmosphere. It\u2019s really fun to see the high school students and to interact with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no religious component to the Wednesday lunch.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s important to show them we\u2019re just regular people at a church and it\u2019s not scary,\u201d Kapteyn said. \u201cYou are welcome here. There\u2019s no strings attached, just come and eat, let us serve you and remind you that you\u2019re important to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Kapteyn wouldn\u2019t know which students or how many, if any, struggle to get good meals at home, she does know times can be tough for families, especially coming out of COVID and the cost of groceries now.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s challenging to know how much food to prepare without knowing how many students are coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s probably one of the trickiest things. I\u2019m always each week \u2018please let there be enough food so that everybody can at least get through once and then if there\u2019s extra come back for seconds,\u201d Kapteyn said. \u201cWhen we have over a hundred, it\u2019s very crowded in there and hard to find seating. I would love to see it continue to grow. We just have to work through the logistics.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for this Wednesday, subs are on the menu.<\/p>\n\n