New Horizon United Methodist Church launches food program for families affected by food insecurity

People in front of brown cardboard boxes (Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash)

The New Horizon United Methodist Church has launched a food program for families affected by food insecurity across Broward County.

Pack-A-Sack Program

CBS News reported that in 2009, Rev. Peytyn Tobin and the volunteers at New Horizon United Methodist Church in Southwest Ranches discovered that people all around Broward County were struggling with a lack of access to adequate food supplies. 

As a result, they initiated a grass-roots initiative known as Pack-A-Sack to deliver weekend food to children who needed it.

From that point on, it reportedly continued to expand.

Moreover, volunteers take the time to meticulously package and arrange food items in vehicles, including fresh vegetables, canned goods, and bagged pasta. 

Some people will provide transportation for many families who do not have a car.

At the site, there is a genuine connection, and support is provided one-to-one—a cordial exchange of information. 

Furthermore, the efforts eventually culminated in the formation of the charitable group Nourishing Lives, which now runs a weekly drive-thru that acts as a savior for approximately 250 families. 

Although participants are required to pre register, no one is turned away from service to ensure that all their needs are met.

Nourishing Lives

The Nourishing Lives aims to ensure that not every child in Broward County suffers from hunger.

They seek to create a community that is active and supportive of its most important resource, children, by constructing bridges within the community to connect places of worship, schools, areas of commerce, and civic groups.

Currently, the organization is providing services to more than 400 youngsters weekly.

As mentioned, the organization aims to feed, lead, and read.

  • Feed: helps children and families at risk of hunger by delivering love and food every week during the academic year.
  • Lead: encourages young people to get involved in community service and youth organizations to develop the skills necessary to become future leaders.
  • Read: cultivates young people the ability to think critically and dream ambitiously.

In addition, in 2009, the organization was awarded a grant to launch a Pack-A-Sack program.

The program's purpose was to establish a relationship between the local community, churches, and schools.

Their goal was to provide food for underprivileged students attending schools in Broward County over the weekends when they could not afford regular school meals.

They reportedly made a pact to love as many people as possible for as long as possible.

After several years, they have now committed to assisting more than ten schools. They have broadened the scope of their project to include helping families living within their surrounding community.

As reported, each bag offered contains food that is good for the stomach, love for the heart, and hope for the mind.

New Horizon United Methodist Church

The New Horizon United Methodist Church has a strong focus on its mission. 

Throughout the course of the year, they offer a variety of volunteer opportunities at the local, national, and worldwide levels.

The church learns that the love of God is unchanging and that He wants it to share that love with others in the community.

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