Nourishing Young Minds: Match Day 2025 and the Munch Bunch Mission
At First Presbyterian Church of Sidney, we believe that caring for our neighbors—especially the youngest among us—is one of the most meaningful ways to live out our faith. Through our Munch Bunch program, we strive to ensure that children in our community have the nutrition they need to grow, learn, and thrive.
This year, through the Community Foundation of Shelby County’s Match Day program, we have an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen that mission. Every dollar given to First Presbyterian Church on Match Day will be matched (up to the Foundation’s designated amount), doubling the impact of your generosity and allowing us to purchase more food for children who need it most.
About the Munch Bunch Program
The Munch Bunch program began in 2009 with a simple but powerful goal: to provide supplemental weekend food to students at Central Elementary who qualified for free or reduced-price lunches. Over time, the need grew—and so did our mission. Today, the program supports all Sidney City primary schools, Sidney Intermediate School, and Sidney Middle School, serving students in grades K–5.
Each week during the school year, teachers and administrators help identify children who may be facing food insecurity. Parents are notified and invited to enroll their children through a simple application process. Once enrolled, students receive a discreet food bag each week, ensuring that their weekends include nutritious meals and snacks.
In May 2025, our volunteers were preparing and delivering 354 food bags each week at a cost of just under $800. With the expected 10% increase in student population this school year, your Match Day gift will be critical to keeping pace with growing needs in our community.
Why This Matters
Evidence shows that reliable access to nutritious food helps children concentrate, learn, and achieve their full potential. Food insecurity—whether through reduced quality or quantity—can have lasting effects on a child’s well-being and academic success.
Through Munch Bunch, we aim to remove one of the biggest barriers to learning: hunger. Our volunteers work closely with school administrators to monitor participation and measure the positive impact on students. We also make every effort to accommodate special dietary needs and allergies, ensuring that every child feels cared for and included.
Stewardship and Sustainability
Every dollar given to Munch Bunch goes directly toward the purchase of food. We source supplies from commercial food outlets in the Dayton and Lima areas, carefully comparing vendors to stretch every dollar as far as possible. Funding comes from church members, local organizations, charitable foundations, and now, through the generosity of Match Day donors.
Our program runs alongside the Sidney City Schools calendar, from the start of the school year through May, with September dedicated to identifying and enrolling students.
How You Can Help
Your Match Day gift will help ensure that more children have access to nutritious weekend meals. When you give to First Presbyterian Church of Sidney on Match Day, your contribution will be matched by the Community Foundation of Shelby County, multiplying your impact and helping us meet the growing demand.
Together, we can continue to nourish young minds, strengthen families, and invest in a healthier future for our community.
Please consider a gift to First Presbyterian Church of Sidney for the Community Foundation of Shelby County’s Match Day 2025.
Your generosity will help us feed both bodies and spirits—one child, one weekend, one meal at a time.
