Our backpacks are getting bigger! Well over a decade ago, Light the Flame House Church began to pack bags of food to go home each weekend with students who often relied on school meals during the week. Since then, the program has expanded into every city school, serving more families than ever. Trinity supports the programs at Keister and Bluestone, and thanks to a combination of generosity, thrift, and lots of hard work, we are in a position to expand to meet more critical needs of students and their families at these neighborhood schools. We have learned that some students miss school because of the lack of personal care items at home. Laundry detergent, toothpaste, soap, and other necessities are beyond the budgets of these families, and SNAP dollars cannot be used for those items. In order to continue to support the overall health and wellbeing of these neighbors, the Session voted to expand the use of backpack funds beyond food, to include the most pressing non-food needs. We will be working with teachers and administrators to identify the greatest needs and meet them as equitably as possible. We're grateful to be able to do this without reducing the number of families receiving food, or the amount or quality of the food they receive each week. Thank you for your continued generosity!​​​

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