ALTON – Several students in the Alton School District are unable to eat outside of school hours due to the conditions of poverty in their home lives.
This is the message Deliverance Temple Youth Leader Jason Harrison received from Alton Housing Authority Director Andy Hightower recently. Hightower told Harrison many students go home from school and do not get to enjoy another meal until the next morning when they return to school. Because of that, Harrison made it his mission to help the people he could near his church. He said an estimated 40-50 families in the vicinity of Deliverance Temple may be eligible for a program they are going to host in September.
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“We want to make sure all the kids who need it get to eat dinner and get a little snack,” Harrison said. “We want to help them get something to eat after school, because some of them can't even have dinner when they get home.”
Harrison said the meals and snacks will be prepared through volunteers at the church, many of whom are members of his family. He said kids will be able to get registered for this free meal program starting Sept. 3 from 2-6 p.m. at Deliverance Temple, located at 1125 E. Sixth St. in Alton.
As of now, Harrison said the program is only offered to children who otherwise would not have a meal for them upon returning home.
