United Way of the Brown County Area has a new program, Project Lunchbox, and the Willkommen Committee of the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce stopped by to learn more. Executive Director Lori Pickell-Stangel said planning for this new weekend food program began 1.5 years ago. Weekend food programs are common in many cities, but when Pickell-Stangel began looking into it, she found out the reason there wasn’t a program in place in New Ulm wasn’t that there wasn’t a need; it was that the need was too big for a church or other service organization to take it on. Children who qualify for free or reduced lunch in the schools also qualify for Project Lunchbox; Lori estimates that number will be around 300 kids. These children will discreetly be provided with food at school to take home for the weekend. This program has gotten a lot of support from area organizations and businesses. Christensen Farms has partnered with the program and they are covering all food and operational costs for the first year of the program. Anyone interested in volunteering or donating to the program can contact Lori at 507-354-6512 or unitedway@newulmtel.net. In the photo are: Lori Kollmann, Citizens Bank Minnesota; Nick Metzker, Preferred Insurance; Linda Neigebauer, United Way Board Member; Lori Pickell-Stangel, United Way; Brittney Schmiesing, Chuck Spaeth Ford and United Way Board Member; Jessica Janni, Bank Midwest.

Submitted photo

United Way of the Brown County Area has a new program, Project Lunchbox, and the Willkommen Committee of the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce stopped by to learn more. Executive Director Lori Pickell-Stangel said planning for this new weekend food program began 1.5 years ago. Weekend food programs are common in many cities, but when Pickell-Stangel began looking into it, she found out the reason there wasn’t a program in place in New Ulm wasn’t that there wasn’t a need; it was that the need was too big for a church or other service organization to take it on. Children who qualify for free or reduced lunch in the schools also qualify for Project Lunchbox; Lori estimates that number will be around 300 kids. These children will discreetly be provided with food at school to take home for the weekend. This program has gotten a lot of support from area organizations and businesses. Christensen Farms has partnered with the program and they are covering all food and operational costs for the first year of the program. Anyone interested in volunteering or donating to the program can contact Lori at 507-354-6512 or unitedway@newulmtel.net.

In the photo are: Lori Kollmann, Citizens Bank Minnesota; Nick Metzker, Preferred Insurance; Linda Neigebauer, United Way Board Member; Lori Pickell-Stangel, United Way; Brittney Schmiesing, Chuck Spaeth Ford and United Way Board Member; Jessica Janni, Bank Midwest.