Donations needed for free summer lunch program

In October 2008, the Greater Austintown Ministerial Association met with a handful of community leaders to explore what they could do to help serve the Austintown community.

The association discovered that a large number of students in the Austintown school district receive free or reduced lunches during the school year.

They also discovered funds were available to feed those students during the summer months, although no organization existed to develop and oversee the program.

As a result, the churches that make up association decided to step up and address this need by launching a summer lunch program at Woodside Elementary School in Austintown.

This year marks the second year for the summer lunch program, also known now as “Camp Woodside.”

The seven-week camp began June 14 and is open to all students who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade.

“Camp Woodside” is looking for businesses that want to make donations or partner with the program to assist in serving the community of Austintown.

The vision is to see the program expanded to other locations in Austintown and the Mahoning Valley and possibly offer a summer day camp or resident camp.

For information about the program and how to donate, call Nate Childers, Camp Woodside director, at 330-883-9327 or e-mail nate@mymillcreek.net.