LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Faith Christian Church, in partnership with Lima Sixth Ward Councilman Derry Glenn, is taking the first steps toward ensuring that no child in Lima goes hungry.
The church has launched its "Spread the Love" initiative, an after-school program designed to reduce food insecurity in the area. The program provides free brown-bag meals containing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, applesauce, a cookie, and a drink. A van will deliver the meals while playing the song “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” to signal its arrival.
The project aims to address food insecurity, a growing problem affecting many children in Lima.
"We know that about 20% of the children in the Lima area are hungry. They don't know where their next meal is coming from, and so we want to provide some nice sack meals for them. For after school," said Laurie Camper, public relations director for "Spread the Love."
"We lost a Cheryl Allen Community Center, and there were a lot of after-school program kids who went after school to eat. When that closed down three years ago, that's where it started going up and up, but 20% of our kids that need food, and I wish I could take that down every year, or take it down in months to zero, but it's a win-win for us to be involved the church here to help us out these kids," said Derry Glenn, Lima 6th Ward councilman.
There are several ways the community can contribute to the "Spread the Love" movement. Volunteers are needed for sandwich making, which requires a donation of six loaves of bread or more. Driver teams of two are also needed; these volunteers will be subject to a background check, which will be provided. Additionally, bag assemblers are in high demand.
Donations can be dropped off at Faith Christian Church, located at 2223 Shawnee Road in Lima. The donation drop box is placed under the portico. For more information, visit the "Spread the Love" Facebook page.
