FPC & kidsPACK Partnership

Do you ever wonder if you will have food to eat during the day? There are adults and children in Polk County who struggle with that very question every day.

According to the United Way of Central Florida, more than 25,000 children in Polk County live with food insecurity.

Through our Missions program, First Presbyterian Church (FPC) works in coordination with kidsPack to feed children in our community who live with food insecurity. The Missions program is led by Nancy Bertram.

kidsPACK is a Lakeland non-profit whose mission is to “improve the lives and restore a basic level of dignity for less fortunate children in Polk County and beyond,” according to their website. 

kidsPACK is supported by community leaders, corporate sponsors, and volunteers dedicated to feeding disadvantaged children. These children receive a backpack of nutritious food each Friday to sustain them on weekends when they do not have access to subsidized school meals, their website explains.

“On behalf of kidsPACK, I want to thank First Presbyterian Church’s congregation for being a partner with kidsPACK,” says Amy Royal, kidsPACK Program Manager.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, the Lakeland community collectively fed more than 3,800 students in 86 schools through kidsPACK.

FPC packs food for students at Philip O’Brien Elementary, Crystal Lake Elementary, Medulla Elementary, and Jesse Keen Elementary. During the last academic year, FPC delivered for 206 students with a total of 18,952 snacks and 56, 856 meals delivered. An estimated 400 volunteer hours were given by FPC congregants. Two Sundays each month, FPC volunteers meet and pack foods for the children. 

“Again, kidsPACK cannot thank your church enough for the love and contributions you give,” Royal says. “Having food in their tummies, they have more capacity to learn.”

Thank you to kidsPACK and the United Way of Central Florida for the statistics.

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