Announcing the Launch of
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We have learned that 564 children in the Krum ISD, a very small community where our church is located, qualify for the free lunch program.
Do you know what the income qualifications are for that program? If you would like to know, click here.
In case you didn’t look, a family of four qualifying for the free lunch program sees a household income of less than $30,000/year.
A family qualifying for free or reduced lunches also probably has difficulty providing school supplies. It costs nearly $100/child to purchase all the supplies the teachers request, particularly in the elementary/middle school years.
In response to this situation, we are launching “Half an Apple” ministry in an effort to be very intentional about helping as many children as possible reach the starting line on the first day of school.
We are asking people to make this the special ministry to children this year instead of Christmas gifts to low-income children. While Christmas gifts are nice, it is far, far more important to help these children educationally. With education, there is some chance of breaking the poverty cycle before it becomes generational and entrenched.
We call this “Half an Apple” ministry because we not only cannot, but we must not provide all the supplies. We need to partner with the parents so we are working hand in hand to make this happen.
This ministry also partners with Special Touch at New Life/First Baptist Church here in Krum. They have figured out a way to provide the basics for each child for about $15.00/child. We’d like to add to that a backpack for the youngest children who may not have one. We have found some good quality ones for $3.75 apiece.
We need your help. Backpacks must be ordered by June 7 to qualify for this price break. Adequate funds have already been designated to Half An Apple Ministry to order 48 of them (they have to be ordered in boxes of 24).
All other supplies will be purchased over the course of the summer as sales come and go. The folks at Special Touch are monitoring the sales and will make the purchases. By July 15, we would like to contribute at least $2500 to that effort, and far more if possible.
Please prayerfully consider an additional gift to this ministry–above and beyond your normal giving. Should you wish to contribute, you may do so online or by putting “Half an Apple” on the memo line of checks made out to the church and sending them to: Krum First UMC, 1001 E. McCart St, Krum, TX 76249
Thank you.
