Collegiate Times

Summer days in Blacksburg and the New River Valley can be very hard for parents to adjust to. The lack of school means children who normally would be in classes now have plenty of free time ? time to play sports, visit family members, go on vacation or even simply get in trouble. For some families, however, there is a greater worry.

With school being out of session and the end of school-funded lunch programs, needy families in the New River Valley face an added burden on an already-strained family budget.

The Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program works to help local families and members of the community in emergency situations, whether temporary or immediate. They provide financial assistance as well as food and clothing for those in need. The MCEAP receives their funding from the United Way of Montgomery and acquires donations through local churches and organizations. Their main mission is to aid families in times of need and assist them in getting back on their own feet again so they may be self sufficient.

The MCEAP specifically needs help during the summer because most kids are now out of school for a couple of months and don?t have access to school-funded meal programs. ?Many parents cannot afford day care, and their children are no longer being fed breakfasts and lunches within their schools each day,? says Melanie Collins, the Emergency Assistance Specialist at the MCEAP.

The MCEAP local food bank in Christiansburg is in dire need of food supplies that could easily be prepared by children who are usually in school during the day, but are out for the summer. The MCEAP has also not received as much funding as they usually do this time of year due to budget restrictions. The food bank is currently putting out a call for donations from individuals who can afford to donate.

Items that would be good to donate include cereals, soups, food mixes, juice and other non-perishable foods.

The program is also looking for local groups or organizations to donate their time at the MCEAP building on Roanoke Street in Christiansburg. ?If there is any group, whether it be boy scouts, girl scouts or anyone that would like to take on a summer project, we could use the help?, said Collins. The program is looking for volunteers to help stock their food rooms and work on other projects around the office.

The MCEAP chooses who will receive aid by putting each applicant through a screening process. The program disperses the money and food on a case-by-case basis. ?Many people do not realize that the aid is not based on which family has the lowest income,? says Collins.

The United Way of Montgomery, the MCEAP?s main monetary source, works to support local citizens around town. They provide funding for over thirty health and human service charities in the New River Valley area, and the MCEAP is just one of these organizations they help. The program also provides Federal Emergency Management funding for food and shelter which is then given to their partner agencies.

If you would like to help out the MCEAP you can contact their office in Christiansburg. They will gladly accept any help offered, whether it consists food donations or donating time to assist with the program. The United Way of Montgomery has been doing their best to provide financial assistance for the MEACP but they can only do so much.