HUNGRY TEENS
Who we serve.
intheMIDDLEmeals is a weekend feeding program for students who attend Madison County Middle School, Madison County High School, and Foothills Charter High School that have been identified as being food insecure.
It is our mission to provide food that will sustain a teenager through the weekend, but we are also dedicated to providing these students with food that they will enjoy eating with little or no preparation.
What’s in the bag?
Each bag contains breakfast items, ready to eat canned products, condensed soup, macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles, crackers, and squeeze fruit. Additional items are used as fillers, such as, tuna, peanut butter, and Beanee Weenees.
Once a month, students receive a bag with four full sized hygiene products (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and antiperspirant).
Being a teen is tough
intheMIDDLEmeals was started in 2012 when it came to our attention that teens in the community had unmet nutritional and hygiene needs. Teenagers are less likely to speak up about not having food, and unfortunately, will take great risks to obtain food on their own. We strive to give them products they want and make improvements constantly so they will not put themselves at risk.
How it works…
Students are identified by school counselors, teachers, administrators, and mentors as being food insecure. A referral form is filled out and parent permission obtained. The student begins receiving bags as soon as forms are submitted. Because our students move often, they may drop off the program, or add themselves back on as needed.
The Food
intheMIDDLEmeals is dedicated to giving our students the kind of foods they enjoy eating. We recognize that not all of our students have access to extra ingredients and some students experience frequent interruption of utilities, therefore, we use ready to eat foods in addition to foods that only require water as an added ingredient.
Quality is important to our mission as well. Tasting the products is a part of our process as well. While sometimes this is not a pleasant job, we believe in giving our students the BEST that we can provide!
Funding
intheMIDDLEmeals is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We have a variety of sources for funding.
- the members of Colbert United Methodist Church are faithful supporters and provide 80% of our funding.
- local businesses make regular contributions
- we have a “memory/in honor of” program that generates funds
- grants
- local civic organizations
Volunteers
We LOVE our volunteers! There are many ways to help our program…
- packing bags
- purchasing food
- clipping coupons for specific products
- watching sale ads
- shopping at food bank
- delivery
- speaking for civic and religious organizations
- picking up donations
“extras” vary from week to week
Weekly Bag Contents
Because students have to carry the bags home, we are limited as to the contents of each bag. All bags have the same ingredients each week. *We do not create special bags because of allergies. It is the resposibility of student and parent to monitor the contents of the bags.
Standard Weekly Bag
- 1-2 ready to eat meals. Ravioli (canned meat with pasta product), Progresso or Chunky soup.
- 10.5/10.75 oz. condensed soup
- 1 Ramen Noodles
- 1 cup Fast Mac
- 2 breakfast/granola bars
- 2 packages oatmeal/grits
- 1 sleeve saltine crackers
- 1 squeeze fruit
- Peanut Butter (once a month)
Extras
Each week we add extra items (these vary from week to week depending on availability)
Food
- individual cereal
- Vienna sausage
- Tuna
- snack crackers (peanut butter or cheese)
- beanee weenees
- 7.5 oz sized ravioli/ready to eat meals in microwave cups
Hygiene Bags – monthly
We are limited on the products used in the hygiene bags. Only the listed items are used in bags. Items must be able to fit in a gallon-sized ziplock baggie. Full sized products are used, sample/hotel sized products are distributed as “extras”.
- shampoo
- antiperspirant/deoderant
- toothpaste
- bar soap (no body wash)
*ITEMS HAVE MET APPROVAL OF MADISON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION*
OUR SPONSORS
Colbert Lions Club
Progressive Realty
Colbert United Methodist Church
CONTACT US
CUMC – intheMIDDLEmeals
P.O. Box 317
68 N 2nd Street
Colbert, GA 30628
intheMIDDLEmeals
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HELP OUR CAUSE
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and provide better quality food for our students facing food insecurity. You may write checks to IMM and mail to Colbert UMC, P.O. Box 317, Colbert, Ga 30628.
100% of donations received are used for the purchase of food!
