Kids Give Back: Loving Neighbors Through Food

Teaching kids about Jesus’ love comes in many forms: songs, stories, skits, living as examples, and so on. But one of my favorite ways we share about Jesus’ love is through Kids Give Back. This is our annual fundraiser that encourages campers (and staff) to think about their communities, especially families who are living very different lives from their own. We ask them to think about how Jesus demonstrates His love in very practical ways, such as through healing or providing a meal. Then we challenge campers to follow Jesus’ example and love our neighbors in practical ways. 

This year, we are loving our neighbors in Philadelphia through food! We are asking campers and staff to bring in cans of food which we will then take to the United Methodist Neighborhood Services (UMNS) for use at their three food banks in Philadelphia. 

This fundraiser is meeting a critical need: wholesale prices for food rose around 22.4% since the pandemic. Food costs are at the second-highest level of the past 15 years. It is becoming increasingly difficult for people to have access to food, often leading to increased stress at home. 

UMNS Food Pantries are already plugged into Philadelphia neighborhoods, and they are helping relieve the stress placed on families to find healthy food. Carson Simpson Farm has committed to delivering fresh produce from our garden throughout the summer. With Kids Give Back, campers can make a big impact by helping to meet the food pantries’ revolving needs for canned meat, vegetables, and beans. Each week, we will prioritize different food groups to make sure we are providing families with options. For example, one week we might ask for canned chicken and canned corn, while another week we might ask for canned beans. (But all cans are welcome, regardless of the week’s focus!)

As always, there is an element of friendly competition to Kids Give Back! We’ll keep track of each group’s donations throughout the summer. At the end of camp, we will announce who brought more cans of food: campers or staff! 

If you would like to support Kids Give Back, talk with your kids about how we can show Jesus’ love for other through practical ways. You can also contribute by bringing cans of food to camp. We will be collecting them during the check in and check out process. You can also drop off cash or a check in your kid’s name: we will purchase cans of food on your behalf! If you would like to donate directly to United Methodist Neighborhood Services, please find their contact information here: https://www.epaumc.org/connectional-ministries/mission-outreach/conference-missions/umns/