Marshfield Junior High students recently traded their study hall desks for shopping carts and grocery bags, spending the day serving their neighbors through Wheel Fed at Kingdom Church.
Wheel Fed is a partnership between Ozarks Food Harvest and Kingdom Church that provides food for families in our community. It provides produce, eggs, pantry staples and household items to hundreds of households each month. For many, it’s a critical resource in the face of rising grocery costs and food insecurity.
Volunteers play an essential role in making the distribution possible and last week, that role was filled in part by eighth grade students under the guidance of their teacher Heather Lemons. Lemons, who typically spends her time with this group of students in a small study hall setting, said she wanted her class to experience firsthand the value of serving others.
“I thought it would be neat if my students could see what it feels like to help others, to serve others, and to understand what it’s about,” she explained.
The students quickly learned that their presence made a difference. Lemons noted that Wheel Fed organizers often struggle to find enough hands to meet the growing number of cars that drive through the line when school is out of session.
“When we showed up, they were so excited. It made my kids feel good to know they were needed,” Lemons added.
Once on site, students rotated through a variety of jobs: bagging produce, handing out eggs, pulling wagons filled with groceries, and helping load cars. Some preferred the behind-the-scenes work, while others enjoyed chatting with recipients, offering a friendly smile and a “have a good day.”
For many of the eighth graders, the experience was eye-opening.
“They were surprised at how many cars were lined up,” Lemons said. “We had a good talk about food insecurity and why families come to Wheel Fed. Some even said they needed to make sure their parents knew about the program, because it could help their own family.”
The effort didn’t go unnoticed at school either. Marshfield’s J-Cast program, which highlights student activities, featured the group’s photos, and the junior high’s social media shared pictures of the students volunteering.
“They were so excited to be recognized,” Lemons said. “I didn’t even realize how much it meant to them until I saw their reactions.”
Beyond the recognition, though, Lemons said the true reward was watching her students’ attitudes shift.
“Junior high is a time when it can feel like it’s all about them,” she reflected. “But when you get them out in the community, you see the heart they have for others. They loved it. They’re already asking when we can go back.”
For more information about Wheel Fed and how to get involved, visit www.kingdomchurch.info/wheelfed.
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