SCM BackPack Program

The mission of Samaritan Christian Ministry of Wilkes, Inc. (SCM) is to feed the hungry in Wilkes County. This is accomplished through four free food programs: the BackPack program, the Saturday Delivery program, the Client Choice Pantry program and Project: JOY. SCM recently received a Microsoft product donation of computer software through TechSoup.org. It is truly amazing to witness how high quality computer software has improved our various programs, especially the BackPack program.

There are over 5,000 children who go to school each day hungry because of food insecurity at home. The BackPack program offers hope for 430 of these children by providing six meals every Friday that they can eat over the weekend. That equals to 2,580 meals per week! This food is child-friendly and easily prepared. Once a month, we also send home toiletry items such as shampoo, soap and toothpaste. SCM provides this program in order to create a level playing field for at-risk children when it comes to being ready to learn on Monday mornings. Statistics have proven that it takes children 2 ½ days after they start eating again to retain what they are learning. These six meals provide assurance that these children will not go hungry over the weekend.

One of the hardest things for kids who are dealing with food insecurity is to handle with the stigma they face from their peers. The food is packed discretely by the Guidance Counselor into the backpacks so that no one is singled out. SCM utilized our Microsoft donation through TechSoup.org to create a database of Guidance Counselors and thus enabling the organization to streamline services to the schools. We now have the capability to keep all of our information electronically and in one place. We are now able to double the number of children served. We can now keep track of our clients and guarantee that services are not being duplicated. The gift of technology has been amazing and has allowed for expansion of all programs.

Since expanding our programs, we have identified a desperate need to reach out to the community for additional resources such as money and volunteers. Through the Microsoft donation we were also able to create an effective marketing tool using PowerPoint. This has greatly impacted our ability to provide these children with much needed food. Through using PowerPoint, we are able to show pictures of some of the children served. We have found that by creating a PowerPoint presentation and sharing it with the community, our programs benefit greatly. We have expanded our volunteer base and our donations. It is through this expansion that we are projecting to serve approximately 600 children in the third and fourth quarters of 2009.

The video can be viewed here: www.scmofwilkes.org

We are very appreciative to have received the Microsoft donation. We would not have been able to purchase these products without the discount offered through TechSoup.org. This donation has truly made a difference in the professional way SCM operates.

We are currently working on another PowerPoint presentation for a Capital Campaign. We have moved four times in eleven years and our goal is to have a permanent home. We can accomplish this task easier now through this generous donation.

We know the struggles children who are at-risk of going hungry in America face each day and we know that we can continue to make a difference. Hunger is a solvable problem. Through the gift of technology our wonderful BackPack program can be shared with the masses and thereby provide more children with enough food to eat. Our children are our future. There is nothing nobler than giving what you can to help a child. Microsoft and TechSoup.org has helped us to “feed the hungry in Wilkes” and they have assisted the children to “carry hope home” through the BackPack program. Thank you to Microsoft and TechSoup.org!