Local nonprofit group feeds kids in need

MOUNT VERNON — Most of us look forward to the weekend, but for some of Mount Vernon’s children, time off of school is filled with uncertainty. Children from low income families are guaranteed free or reduced breakfast and lunch at school, but may not have enough to eat on Saturday and Sunday.
“What we found is that a lot of kids eat lunch at school on Friday and they may not have access to a regular source of food over the weekend,” said Adam Byrnes. “They may not have something to eat until they get back to school on Monday.”
With that in mind, Byrnes and his wife, Rachelle, founded FeedtheVern to help supplement area elementary schoolers’ access to food. The nonprofit provides students in need with gallon-sized bags of ready-to-eat food every Friday during the school year. The bags are filled and assembled by FeedtheVern, then delivered to Dan Emmett and Pleasant Street Elementary, where teachers slip them into student’s backpacks.
When FeedtheVern launched three years ago, it served about 15 kids. It now serves 175.
“You don’t even realize that there are kids in Mount Vernon who need this,” said volunteer Lisa Nelson. “Sometimes it’s not even through any fault of the parents. Some people are just struggling to get by.”
Another volunteer, Nicole Harkman, has seen the need first hand.
“A lot of times when kids come out to summer camp, their favorite part is the food,” said Harkman, who works for Joy of Living, a camp for at-risk and economically disadvantaged children.
For Adam and Rachelle, the need hits close to home now more than ever. The couple recently became foster parents to two children whose only source of food was what they received at school. “It came full circle,” said Adam. “For me, it’s even more drive.”
Saturday, more than 20 volunteers showed up to a packing party and filled 945 bags with juice boxes, granola bars, fruit cups and crackers. The supply will last FeedtheVern the rest of the school year. The session doubled as a volunteer appreciation event. Everyone got a piece of cake to celebrate. Rachelle said that seeing the volunteers show up is one of her favorite parts of FeedtheVern.
“We get a different group of people every time,” she said. “Churched people, unchurched people, young people, old people, families.”
Adam and Rachelle said that FeedtheVern’s growth couldn’t have been possible without the support of the community. Local businesses and churches have put out bins for food donations. Rachelle said that the number of organizations that have offered financial donations and grants is “too many to count.” “This isn’t Adam and Rachelle trying to change Mount Vernon. This is Mount Vernon trying to change Mount Vernon,” said Adam.
Next year, the program will extend to two more elementary schools. Adam guessed that adding Columbia and East Elementary will increase the number of kids served by between 50 and 100, but he isn’t worried.
“We’ve had no shortage of people who have been willing to help so far,” said Adam. “When we started this, I thought we’d have to beg for money, but everything we’ve ever needed has come up.” Anyone interested in supporting FeedtheVern’s mission can contact the Byrnes via the message feature on FeedtheVern’s Facebook page.
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