Neighbor News
MUST Summer Lunch Teams Up with Bookmobile
MUST Ministries and the Cobb County Library system are joining together to distribute books and lunches to children during the summer.
July 3, 2019 --- An exciting pilot program is taking place this summer pairing the MUST Ministries Summer Lunch program with the Cobb County Library System. A new bookmobile, manned by a bilingual media specialist, brings sack lunches and age-appropriate books to at-risk children.
“On Fridays, the bookmobile is distributing on two of our routes in the Smyrna area,” explained Dr. Ike Reighard, MUST Pres. and CEO. “Library staff and MUST volunteers meet in housing areas where children in need receive both a lunch and a book. The youngest children often gather in small groups and listen to older children read stories.”
MUST collects the books all year and the Cobb County Library System supplied expert media specialists to sort them in the MUST Donation Center and prepare them for this trial program. “We couldn’t believe how quickly that team organized and sorted thousands of books!” he smiled. “They are definitely professionals.”
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The children have always received books as a gift from MUST, but this year the books are organized by reading level and are better suited for distribution, Reighard said. He also said MUST hopes to expand the use of library resources and expertise as the partnership grows.
In addition, the bookmobile team is inviting families to an evening program at Tillman House Resource Center, 940 Concord Road, SE for dinner, fun and learning. The free event is set for July 8 at 6 p.m. and sponsored by Cobb County Public Library System, Cobb County School System and MUST Ministries Summer Lunch.
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“We are very grateful for the partnership with MUST that makes this program possible,” said Lisa Cleary, Community Engagement Manager for the library system.
Despite some issues with the health department not allowing MUST volunteers to make sandwiches for the children this season, MUST has been able to purchase sandwiches and feed 6000-7000 children a day. “The community has been amazingly generous is helping us fund this important feeding program,” Reighard stated. Every child has also been offered a book on Fridays.
MUST anticipates feeding more than 200,000 meals in seven counties during the summer vacation.
