Our Lunch Buddy Program is officially in full swing, and the impact is already being felt across our schools.
This year, we have 18 students in the Chokio/Alberta school matched with caring community volunteers, 11 students at St. Mary’s Catholic School, and an incredible 49 students at Morris Area Elementary School enjoying monthly time with their Lunch Buddies.
Sharing a school lunch and spending some time reading, playing a game, or working on a puzzle together may not seem like much—but the long-term impact can be truly amazing. If the weather cooperates (fingers crossed!), volunteers in our community will invest more than 600 hours of mentoring during the 2025–2026 school year.
For many second-grade students, Lunch Buddies may be their first experience seeing that there are kind, compassionate adults in the community who genuinely care about them. That simple connection often leads to students who feel more confident, more connected, and more excited to come to school.
While statistics help us show how effective our programs are, sometimes the real proof is much simpler. When I overheard a shy, thoughtful second-grade student say to her Lunch Buddy, “It makes me so happy to see you when you come,” I knew the program was working. Honestly—that’s all the proof I need.
