Thanksgiving Break 2023
It is almost time for Thanksgiving! We will be distributing our School Year Snack Packs a little differently this year. Simply sign up to pick up at the location of your choice, and we will see you there! Please remember to reserve your bag by 11/14 so that you don't miss out. Distribution is on 11/21. Questions? Call our office. 218-825-7682
Summer Programming
Did you know that more than 4,200 kids in the Brainerd Lakes Area school districts rely on their school’s free and reduced-price meal programs for lunch? For these kids, when the school year ends, so does the school lunch program— challenging families financially during the summer months.
Bridges of Hope, through Operation Sandwich, provides much needed meals weekly to students facing summer hunger. Grocery bags including 5 days’ worth of bread, peanut butter, jelly, granola bars, fruit snacks, an additional snack, and fresh fruit and/or vegetables are available for pick-up once per week.
School Year Programming
While the summer break is what Operation Sandwich is best known for, we don't take the school year off! We know that school breaks can throw a wrench in your budgets, especially when holidays roll around. Thanks to our generous donors, Operation Sandwich has committed to offering a break snack pack any long weekend that is 4 days or more (EM break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks typically). Follow us on Facebook for upcoming distributions!
Interested in Volunteering?
We use volunteers every week in the summer! You could find yourself unloading a delivery of food from Second Harvest, packing lunches for the week, or distributing lunch packs. Come by yourself, with your family, or a group from work! To get on our list of volunteers, register below by selecting which packing site would work best for you! Questions? Email jessica@bridgesofhopemn.org
Did you know that more than 4,200 kids in the Brainerd Lakes Area school districts rely on their school’s free and reduced-price meal programs for lunch? This means that when summer begins, daily meals go away. Throughout 2022, Bridges of Hope served over 45,000 lunches and snack packs for kids experiencing hunger, an increase of 50% from the previous year. We anticipate serving even more kids facing hunger in 2023, with the majority being served over the summer months.
Bridges of Hope, through Operation Sandwich, provides much needed meals weekly to students facing hunger over the summer and school holidays. Grocery bags including 5 days’ worth of bread, peanut butter, jelly, granola bars, fruit snacks, an additional snack, and fresh fruit and/or vegetables are available for pick-up weekly. According to HungerSolutions.org, 2022 saw record high food shelf visits across Minnesota, increasing by almost 2 million visits as compared to 2021. Because of rising food prices, Operation Sandwich is counting on your support to raise “$40k To Keep Hunger Away” to meet the growing needs of kids and their families in 2023.
Donate to feed kids and families this summer
Make a donation to ensure all kids have the nourishment they need to get them through the summer.
With Operation Sandwich, your gift goes further:
$60 – Sponsor a child’s sandwich supplies for one month
$120 – Purchase all the peanut butter needed for one week
$250 – Feed one child for an entire month
$400 – Cover the cost of bread for one week
$600 – Provide healthy snacks for a week
$1,000 – Provide fresh produce for an entire month