First Baptist of Kernersville Supports BackPack Program at Kernersville Elementary

The Rev. Alicia Turner, Dr. Stephen Martin, Kay Justice, Mayor Dawn Morgan and other members of First Baptist Church of Kernersville

Kay Justice is a member of First Baptist Church of Kernersville. After hearing about a program that provides food on the weekends for children who might otherwise go hungry, she wanted to do the same for young people in Kernersville.

“It sounded like a really good opportunity for our church,” she said.

She talked with others at the church, including Dr. Stephen Martin, the senior minister, and the Rev. Alicia Turner, the minister of children and missions. Everyone wholeheartedly supported the idea, and, working with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, the church established a BackPack program at Kernersville Elementary School. On Fridays, church members fill backpacks with food for 50 students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches during the week to take home.

John Morgan, student at East Forsyth High School

On Tuesday Jan. 15, everyone celebrated the program with a ribbon-cutting in the school’s media center. Among those present was John Morgan, a freshman at East Forsyth High School who, for his Eagle Scout project, built a closet with hooks at the church where the backpacks and other program materials are stored.

“I wanted to support this new ministry,” Morgan said. “I think it is very important to reach out to those in need in the community.”

Also there was Tony Rupard, one of about 100 church members who participate in the program in one way or another. He owns an enclosed trailer so he volunteered for being responsible for going over to Second Harvest to pick up more backpack meals whenever the supplies at the church run low. “It’s my part and I have the equipment to do it,” Rupard said.

The First Baptist’s BackPack program is one of 20 in Forsyth County that churches sponsor. The churches buy prepackaged meals through Second Harvest. It costs $10,000 per school year to provide weekend meals to 50 students.

Clyde Fitzgerald, Becky Carter, Dana Caudill Jones and others

Clyde Fitgerald, the executive director at Second Harvest; Dana Caudill Jones, Kernersville’s mayor pro tempore, and Mayor Dawn Morgan, who also happens to be John Morgan’s mother, were among those who spoke. In her remarks, Mayor Morgan talked about how the backpacks carry not only food to sustain the student but also a message of caring from the community. “The message is ‘You are loved.’”

When Martin spoke, he said, “This is a wonderful program because it has the opportunity to change the lives of children.”

The program at Kernersville is being sponsored by donations from individuals. Turner said that eventually they hope to be able to expand the program. “We recognize that so many more children could benefit.”

Kernersville Principal Becky Carter thanked the members of the church for supporting the school through the BackPack program and in other ways. “You all are a constant blessing to this school,” she said. “We could not do what we do day in, day out without your help.”

You will find a story about BackPack programs that help students in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools by going to BackPack Programs

Since that story was posted in November, two more programs have been added. Central Triad Church now sponsors a BackPack program at Griffith Elementary School and Mineral Springs Baptist Church sponsors one at Mineral Springs Middle School.