Lunch Connection says thanks, good-bye
A crowd of volunteers and school representatives gathered June 3 with Bonnie Hunt to celebrate the memories made and work accomplished at Inner City Youth Ministry’s Lunch Connection program.
Bonnie is the executive director of ICYM. The group met at St. Mary and St. Bartholomew’s Church in Saint John, the site of ICYM’s new home.
Lunch Connection, a program to feed elementary school children at noontime, will come to an end as the school year draws to a close. The province has decided to run its own lunch program starting this fall.
The site where ICYM prepared hundreds of thousands of lunches, at the Anglophone School District South headquarters, has to be vacated to make room for the new lunch providers.
THANK YOU
During the June 3 event, Bonnie highlighted the many people and groups for their contributions, and gave out certificates of thanks. They in turn had their own kind words for Bonnie and the program.
Some teachers came with students who gained lifeskills by helping volunteers pack lunches in cloth bags for distribution.
“They were in an environment where they felt welcomed, included,” said Hannah Young, vice-principal of Centennial School. “From the moment they arrived, they felt at home. Acceptance, inclusion and kindness.”
Erica Lane, community engagement coordinator with the school district, had high praise for Lunch Connection and its many helpers.
“It’s difficult to say how much this means,” she said. “Lunch is the product, but its real meaning is a community that cares.”
She had kind words for Bonnie.
“Bonnie has been an unwavering, calm presence. You give so much of yourself to this work,” she said. “Thank you for your care, persistence and belief in the importance of caring for our children.”
Archbishop David Edwards was on hand, and noted he and his late wife, Janet, were some of the early volunteers of the program when it began at St. James on Broad Street in the south end.
“I served the day-old TimBits,” he said.
YOUNG HELPERS
While some volunteers were on the front lines, packing lunch bags and delivering them to various schools, others worked behind the scenes.
SMSB parishioner Sandra Cormier and her two grandchildren, Lucy and Kasey Hanson, have been in charge of washing the cloth bags each week.
“Dave Wall drops off the bags and the kids dump them and look for [pattern] matches,” said Sandra.
Lucy, about to enter kindergarten, has learned to operate the washer and dryer.
From the dryer, the kids separate them into piles of 10.
Once Kasey, two-and-a-half, counts out 10, he informs his grandmother.
“Ten, Nanny!” he says.
“Lucy was his age when she started,” said Sandra.
“I bring the bags to Sandra and take them back when they’re done,” said Dave. “My pals are Lucy and Kasey. These two kids are sharp, and they enjoy doing what they’re doing.”
CONTINUED FOCUS
Bonnie outlined the many ways ICYM will continue its focus on children and families in Saint John.
This summer, their twice-weekly picnics will continue in the south end, as will the backpack program, which fills a backpack with all the ingredients to make a family meal, with step-by-step instruction photos.
“Even if you can’t read English, you can still prepare it,” said Bonnie. “Broccoli salad is the favourite!”
Table Connection, Family Connection and Youth Connection are all part of ICYM’s scope, much of which focuses on bringing families together for a meal, games and fun.
“The focus of Inner City Youth Ministry is having a relationship with God, families and ourselves; food insecurity and literacy,” said Bonnie.
Morning Connection is new and will see ICYM prepare breakfast for students at St. John the Baptist School. They will choose menus, prepare and serve the food, and sit with children to eat together and chat.
“It’s intentional relationships. I’m looking for volunteers for that,” she said. “I’m excited to get back to our roots in the south end.”
Meal Connection will be like a local Hello Fresh, where families can order ingredients for meals and customized snack packs.
“We can buy in bulk and give the savings to our families,” she said. “It’s open to anyone who wants to order, and you can add a donation to help another family who can’t afford the full cost of a meal.”
A grant will help subsidize the program, and an app developed specifically for ICYM's outreach will make ordering easy.
Bonnie once again thanked the many volunteers who have made Lunch Connection such a success.
“There is a huge conglomeration of cogs that make this wheel turn,” she said.
Photo captions:
1. Folks from the Vocational Training Centre received certificates of thanks from Inner City Youth Ministry during the Lunch Connection wrap-up June 3. Several of the centre's clients were volunteers with Lunch Connection. From left: Bonnie Hunt, Janice, Any, Kelvin, Anna, Wylie and Tyson.
2. Hannah Young, vice-principal of Centennial School, sent students to Lunch Connection in order to gain life skills in volunteering. She described the atmosphere as welcoming, inclusive and kind. She is seen here with Bonnie Hunt.
3. A sizeable crowd was on hand for the Lunch Connection wrap-up at St. Mary and St. Bartholomew Church in Saint John June 3.
4. Bonnie Hunt with volunteers Lucy, Sandra Cormier and Kasey. Sandra's grandkids help wash, dry and sort the fabric lunch bags that are filled for children in Saint John.
McKnight photos