HOW IT WORKS

Open Hands is currently working to provide food for children in need on weekends by delivering food bags directly to them in their elementary school classrooms every Friday. Each food bag contains non-perishable and easy to prepare food for two breakfasts, three lunch/dinner meals, and two small snacks.
 
At the beginning of each school year Open Hands distributes sample bags and registration forms to all the elementary schools in the Ferndale, Nooksack, and Meridian School Districts. Parents for children in need complete the registration form and send it with their children to school. Open Hands uses the forms to maintain adequate food inventory and establish delivery needs.
 
Open Hands volunteers take on weekly shopping responsibilities to supplement the incoming food donations from church and community members to ensure enough food is available to serve all the children in need whose parents have returned the registration forms with their children to school. On Monday mornings at 9:00 am volunteers stock shelves and prepare all items needed for packing.
 
On Sundays at 11:40 am volunteers arrive at the Open Hands area at Calvary Creekside Church to pack and prepare the food bags for weekly Friday morning deliveries.
Each Friday morning teams of volunteers deliver the food bags directly into the classrooms for the children in need where school staff make sure the bags get into the children’s backpacks to be taken home.

Open Hands is currently providing weekend food bags for over 860 children.