OTMJ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL u OTMJ.COM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019
SOCIAL
SPORTS
Little Hands Serving Hearts Little Hands Give Food to Fill Empty Tummies Over Thanksgiving
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By Ingrid Schnader
To help give the community some relief this holiday season, Ashley Seligson packed 2,500 brown bags with the nonprofit she founded, Little Hands Serving Hearts. More than 200 families were expected to meet at Canterbury United Methodist Church on Nov. 13 to On Nov. 14, some pack 3,000 to 4,000 pounds of food into brown bags. of the children Each bag was to be packed with about 13 items that students can use to feel food secure over the volunteering with Thanksgiving break. Items are things such as microLHSH and some wavable macaroni and cheese, granola bars, animal crackers, goldfish, fruit snacks and peanut butter of the children crackers. from the schools “So all kid-friendly items that might be appetizing to them but also very easy for them to get into,” in need will get the Seligson said. opportunity to skip These bags will go to two schools in which a majority of students are on free or reduced-price lunch school and help or breakfast programs. This year’s schools are Hayes deliver the bags. K-8 School and Hemphill Elementary School. “Every student gets a bag, no matter if they’re on the program or not” Seligson said. “Typically in these schools they’re still in need. They just might not have qualified for that poverty level. So everyone gets one, and that way no one’s singled out.” On Nov. 14, some of the children volunteering with LHSH and some of the children from the schools in need will get the opportunity to skip school and help deliver the bags. See LITTLE HANDS, page 14
LHSH volunteer Brooklyn Seligson.
Photo courtesy Ashley Seligson
hen students are on free or reduced-price lunch programs, they’re able to leave their food insecurity at home when they go to school. But over holidays such as Thanksgiving break, they’ll go one week or longer without being able to take advantage of their school’s programs.