By Bonnie Hester
Intern for The Citizen
The nonprofit organization Backpack Buddies has kicked off the third year of its summer program, “Summer F.U.N. Coweta,” which provides at-risk children in Senoia with meals and recreation during the summer months.
The program, which takes place at the Freeman Sasser Building at Seavy Street Park every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, began on June 2 and will continue through the last week of July.
Backpack Buddies was founded four years ago by Vineyard Community Church of Senoia as a way to supply nutritious meals to Coweta County elementary school children who are provided with breakfast and lunch at school but do not always have such meals available over the weekend and on breaks.
The program has flourished since then, with over 290 children served at 11 elementary schools during the most recent school year.
Backpack Buddies launched the Summer F.U.N. (Feeding-Uplifting-Nourishing) initiative in 2012 in order to meet the needs of children during the summer, when school lunches are not available. Backpack Buddies has partnered with several local organizations and churches to ensure the program runs smoothly, with each group of volunteers being responsible for a different week of the summer.
Backpack Buddies president April Anderson explained that for the Summer F.U.N. program, this one-week model – with the same volunteers returning every day of their assigned week – allows the volunteers to build deeper connections and relationships with the kids.
“You have to be willing to invest in the lives of others,” Anderson said as she expressed her excitement at the large number of people that have turned out to help. “The community coming together to take care of its own…to me is the beauty of this,” she commented.
Anderson went on to say that with Summer F.U.N., “the goal is to make a difference and be an example to other communities as we relieve the pressure and lift an extra burden off parents’ shoulders during the summer.” She continued that throughout each day of the program, “volunteers try to plant seeds of hope and…love and encourage these children as we experience teachable moments while interacting with them.”
Volunteers focus on building character in the children, teaching them the importance of being good citizens and loving their city by keeping it clean. Anderson said, “The city has blessed us with the use of this building, so we try to honor that by cleaning up the building and park.” Children assist in this by keeping litter off the ground, and volunteers have also performed small projects at the park, such as painting and laying down pine straw.
Volunteers also offer mentoring and encouragement to the children (of which there are about 30 this year) each day as they play games together in the park and eat lunch in the Freeman Sasser Building, Anderson said. Ages range from four years old all the way up through high school, she added.
Asked about future plans for the summer program and Backpack Buddies, Anderson said, “We’re excited to announce that we’re adding a 12th school, Poplar Road Elementary, to the schools we will be serving through Backpack Buddies next year.” Expansion depends entirely upon donations received, as it takes a $2,500 commitment to add a new school, but Anderson is hopeful that one day the program will serve all 22 elementary schools in Coweta County.
In regards to the summer F.U.N. program, Anderson said that near the end of this year’s activities, they will be partnering with Project 586 (a new non-profit in the area that focuses on providing families with needed home goods) to host a free “shopping day” for the children of the program and their parents to come pick out school supplies and clothes for the new school year. The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. on July 25 at the Freeman Sasser Building at Seavy Street Park.
In addition, Anderson spoke about the huge need she sees in this area of Senoia for a community center for kids to go to after school. She envisions a place where children can play games, get tutoring, counseling, snacks, and more. Anderson is currently looking to meet with Senoia officials to discuss this possibility.
For more information about Backpack Buddies, visit the program’s website at www.backpackbuddiesga.org.
