Bridges Backpack Food Program

Epworth UMC is a lead participant in the Bridges Food Backpack Program. We believe that when a child is fed, they are equipped to learn, grow and imagine a future filled with opportunity. Childhood hunger has an impact in our communities. During the school year more than 33,000 children across North Dakota qualify for and greatly rely on the federal free and reduced lunch program to meet their daily nutritional needs. Nearly two-fifths of Valley City students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. On weekends, many of these children struggle with hunger. Hunger amongst our children can have lifelong and extremely costly consequences. Hungry children suffer physical, emotional and developmental impairment. They are sick and hospitalized more often. Hungry children don’t learn as well at school, which in turn, limits their potential and productivity as adults. Adults who experienced hunger as children are often not as well prepared mentally, emotionally, physically, or socially to perform in today’s work environment.