With Barbara Slaughter, far right, are Island Creek Baptist Church members, who are active in the Backpack Buddies program, Cotton Keeton, Phyllis Keeton and Lee Chandler, standing behind the Keetons.
Two local churches are supporting students at New Hope Elementary School this school year through their Backpack Buddies programs, which involve church members each week donating non-perishable food items that are sent home for the weekend with selected students. Barbara Slaughter, school counselor at New Hope Elementary, works closely with the churches to coordinate the programs.
Barbara Slaughter accepts some food items from Luther Williams, a member of Henderson Church of Christ.
The congregation of Island Creek Baptist Church, which also had a Backpack Buddies program with the school last year, supports 15 identified students with food items each week. The congregation of Henderson Church of Christ also supports five students this school year with Backpack Buddies donations. Both churches began their Backpack Buddies programs with New Hope during the second week of September. They plan to continue the programs until the end of the school year.
Slaughter says other students at New Hope Elementary School have been identified as needing help with food items to eat at home over the weekend. Any local churches or other organizations interested in being involved in a Backpack Buddies program with the school are urged to contact Slaughter by calling the school at 438-6549.