Sharing one lunch break a week with a local child can change that child’s life.
That’s the premise of United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN)’s Lunch Buddies mentoring program which was first piloted in 2020 in Hibbing schools. The pilot program, which paired 16 local adults with first graders in need of additional positive adult role models, was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is returning this spring – this time at Keewatin Elementary School and Merritt Elementary School in Mountain Iron.
“Even in the few weeks the first pilot lasted, the feedback was so positive from school staff, students, and mentors, we knew we wanted to continue trying to expand the program as soon it was safe to do so,” said UWNEMN Education and Childhood Programs Specialist Sarah Gardeski.
The goal is to pair first or second grade students with an adult, based on shared interests and other factors, to share a lunch period together once a week. Students will be referred by school staff and given permission to participate by parents. Lunch Buddies will meet every Thursday at Merritt Elementary. The Keewatin Elementary Lunch Buddies day will be announced shortly.
Adults interested in becoming mentors will be able to select their volunteer location and will be screened through an application, interview, and background check. A brief training will also be given to all Lunch Buddies mentors.
UWNEMN asks anyone interested in mentoring youth through this program to contact Gardeski directly at 218-254-3329 or sarah@unitedwaynemn.org for more information. The goal is to launch the program in March and run it through the end of the school year, though UWNEMN Executive Director Erin Shay asks volunteers to be prepared for flexibility should they get involved with the Lunch Buddies program.
“Schools are facing tremendous challenges, and we know operating school-based programming in the pandemic necessitates some fluidity,” Shay said. “That being said, we also know the pandemic has deeply impacted children, and additional support for children is needed more than ever, so we are extremely grateful to Keewatin Elementary and Merritt Elementary for working with us to bring in Lunch Buddies.”
The pandemic has exacerbated adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and some child psychologists UWNEMN consults consider the pandemic itself its own ACE, Gardeski noted.
“This is especially concerning because four or more ACEs are indicators for serious physical and mental health issues into adulthood, so children who were on the cusp of being at-risk due to ACEs are now certainly at risk,” she said. “The good news is that research shows early intervention and healthy relationships with adults are key to decreasing these risks, and that’s exactly what Lunch Buddies does.”
UWNEMN hopes to expand Lunch Buddies to more schools across the region in the future. Applications to be a Lunch Buddy for the 2022 pilot are due February 15th. Click HERE to apply!