HUNGER ACTION TEAM

​In August, 2006, under the guidance of Assistant Pastor Sally Lorey and Chairman Susan Hartman, the Hunger Action Team was created to provide healthy snacks and Family Food boxes for emergencies to respond directly to hunger facing school age children in our community. Contact was made with school counselors at St Simons and Oglethorpe on St Simons and Altama and Burroughs-Molette in Brunswick.
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Funded by Community Missions and donations, a pantry was established at the church and at Altama Elementary School. For a few years, an account at America's Second Harvest was funded so that any Social Worker or Counselor could shop there as well as Safe Harbor personnel.  Monthly, food items were donated to Sparrow's Nest. Eventually, we condensed all pantry items in our Church pantry and only donate periodically to Sparrow’s Nest. As monetary donations were available, we biannually send funds to Safe Harbor, Sparrow’s Nest, Manna House and Salvation Army for the purchase of groceries.
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As the identified need increased and the committee and budget grew, we added the remaining grammar schools and Middle schools and extended school holidays including Thanksgiving and Spring Break. We also fund the packing of 30 weekly backpack inserts organized by Christ Church.
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In November of 2008, we shopped, packed and delivered 43 Thanksgiving Boxes to the 4 schools. That has now evolved to 120 boxes delivered to the 10 Glynn County grammar schools and 4 middle schools.  We also provide 12 to 24 Emergency boxes each year as needed and school snacks at the beginning of each semester and upon request. We supply snacks to 2 Communities in Schools closets periodically.

Funds from the Community Mission budget, a yearly grant from the Katz Whittle foundation, and donations help us continue our mission to help students who experience food insecurity.

Bonnie Rabert and Barbara Wilsher were co-chairs for several years. Barbara created a packing grid and numerical list for the orderly packing the 8 ½ x 11 covered boxes for the school breaks. Barbara has stepped aside and her system remains intact. Martha Martin has now lovingly stepped up as HAT's new co-chair alongside Bonnie Rabert. Members of the HAT team contribute as school contacts, shoppers and packers. Our young Church children create a special card to insert in the School Break boxes. The School Board delivers 76 of the 120 boxes not delivered individually.

Hunger Action Team Mission Statement

• Intends to respond directly to hunger facing school age children and their families in our community through existing programs and creatively as needs are discovered
• ​Strives to bring to its members, the congregation, and the community a greater awareness of local, national and global concerns about hunger problems and solutions
• Hopes to address this in an engaging, non-political way, using everyone’s gifts and talents, with Christ as our guide

  
​Contact Bonnie Rabert