District 113A Launches Lunch Program to Help Families in Need

is hoping to offer a helping hand to struggling families through a new lunch donation program.

"Two for Tuesday" was launched by the district last month to collect food items for Lemont families facing financial hardships. On a selected Tuesday each month, families are asked to pack two lunches for their children, one of which will be donated to the Open Food Pantry at .

The idea for the program came from Reenie Sperka, a paraprofessional at .

"I read about a similar program in a magazine, and I thought it was such a fantastic idea," she said. "It seemed like something really positive to do in Lemont, especially to get the students involved—that's always a plus."

Earlier this year, Sperka reached out to the principals at Old Quarry, and to determine whether the program would be feasible for the district. She also contacted Terri O'Neill, who coordinates the food pantry vouchers and family assistance fund for .

"The principals were completely supportive, so from there I just wanted to know exactly what kind of need there was at the food pantry," Sperka said. "When Terri said Bethany Lutheran could use about 100 lunches per month, I knew we had to do it."

Prior to the program's launch, Sperka came up with guidelines for donations, all of which must be non-perishable.

The food items are divided into three categories: grains, proteins and fruits/veggies. One item from each category must be placed into a one-gallon plastic bag, along with a bottle of watter or a 100-percent fruit juice box.

On the designated Tuesday each month, marked bins will be placed in all three schools' cafeterias for students to drop off the second lunch. Sperka will collect the donations, and deliver them to Bethany Lutheran.

"We're just looking for families to commit to one extra meal a month. It's such a simple idea, but it has the potential to make a huge difference," Sperka said.

The first "Two for Tuesday" collection was held Feb. 28. Much to Sperka's delight, the schools far exceeded her goal of 100 lunches.

"We collected 188 lunches, which is just phenomenal considering it was our first run," she said.

Sperka was especially touched by how involved some of the students were in putting together the meals.

"As I went through the bins, there were quite a few bags that had these adorable notes from students saying, 'I hope you like what I packed,' and things like that," she said. "That's exactly what I wanted when I came up with this program."

District 113A parent Laura Pelen said she was happy to participate in the program, and hopes it continues in the future.

"I pack two lunches every morning, so one more once a month is no problem," Pelen said. "It's a very easy way for our family to help a neighbor in need, and it teaches our children the importance of reaching out to those who need a little extra help."

District administrators said they were blown away by the success of the first collection.

"It's always a great thing when the district can work hand-in-hand with the community and make such a positive difference," said Deborah Lynch, principal of River Valley School.

With the first "Two for Tuesday" complete, Sperka hopes the donations will only increase in the coming months. If the program continues in the fall, she would also like to get Lemont's parochial schools involved.

"The thing that I really love is that we have families working with the district to help other families in the community," she said. "This is something we can all be proud of."

The remaining "Two for Tuesday" dates are March 20, April 24 and May 22.

Suggested Foods (One from Each Category)

Grains

• Oatmeal packet
• Pop-Tart
• Cream of wheat packet
• Small cereal box
• Granola bar
• Cereal bar
• Small bag of popcorn, pretzels or Goldfish
• Crackers: animal, graham or multigrain

Protein

• Pre-packaged nuts
• Small can of chicken/tuna
• Can of Chef Boyardee or SpaghettiOs
• Cheese and crackers
• Canned soup
• Macaroni and cheese
• Snack pack/Jell-o pudding

Fruits/Veggies

• Raisins
• Fruit bar
• Apple
• Orange
• Dried fruit
• Fruit Roll-up or Gushers
• Yogurt-covered raisins
• Fruit cup
• Veggie chips
• Apple sauce