Category: Outreach

What is The Park Church Summer Feeding & Reading Enrichment Program?

Our SF&RP will occur during the summer months to ensure that no child goes hungry when school meals are no longer available. Through our Summer Feeding and Reading Enrichment Program we are able to fill the nutrition gap and help stop reading loss to make sure children and teens get the nutritious meals and books they need to learn, read, play, and grow when they are out of school. A child’s good nutrition and learning does not have to end when school lets out.

Why is the Summer Feeding & Reading Enrichment Program important?

• Good nutrition and reading enrichment is essential for preparing for the next school year.  A Summer Feeding & Reading Enrichment Program provides an opportunity to continue a child’s physical, social, and academic development while providing nutritious meals and books during long vacation periods from school.  It helps children to thrive during the summer months and be ready to return to school ready to learn
• Research shows that children who do not read during the summer can lose from 1-3 months of learning from the previous school year.  Much of the achievement gap is attributed to summer reading loss
• During the school year, many children receive free and reduced-price meals through the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs. When school ends,  many of these children are at risk of hunger.  Hunger is one of the most severe roadblocks to the learning process. Lack of nutrition during the summer months may set up a cycle for poor performance once school begins again and make children more prone to illness and other health issues.
• It provides our church with an opportunity to share the redemptive love of Jesus Christ with those in need