How Many Students Go Hungry on the Weekends?

UPDATE: First Baptist Church youth pastor Wayne Naugle clarified that the church ministry hopes to feed 300 families in need after getting approval from the council. At the moment it is only in the position to feed about 25 families.

For some students in Loganville, going to school during the week doesn’t just provide them with an education. It also gives them the opportunity to get a decent meal. So what do they do on the weekend? Without the help of a program provided through the , they would go hungry.

“We have about 300 families who need food on the weekend,” Wayne Naugle, a pastor with the FBC, told Loganville City Council members at Monday’s work session. Naugle is seeking a variance to allow for two mobile trailers to be placed on the church property to help with the program.

“These would be used primarily for storage,” Naugle said. “We currently have students at and and we’ve been asked to include . We take food to the counselors at the school on Thursday for them to take home on the weekend. It is all done through the school, but we need a place to bring food in and send it out.”

Naugle said the hope is that the need would only be temporary and the economy will improve enough to not require a permanent structure. However, if the need increases, or does not show any sign of going away, the church would look at more permanent structures.

“We would like to see how it goes before looking at permanent structures though,” Naugle said, adding one of the trailers would likely be used for clothes and they also would like to consider putting in some showers.

“We do at the church have homeless people – living in cars,” Naugle said. “They come there for food. If they are looking for a job we would like to help them get shower and at least present themselves for the job interview. The intent is never to board people there.”

The council had some concerns about the water issue and asked whether those services could be provided in the main church building. However, Naugle said with the Bright Beginnings preschool having to be locked for the security of the students, it would be difficult.

The council will vote on the variance at Thursday’s City Council meeting.