Students at St. Rose School learn through service to the community, living out the virtues of the habit of doing good. Among their many service projects, 2019 marked the 25th anniversary of St. Rose providing monthly sack lunches to St. Francis Dining Hall in Southeast Portland. The Dining Hall operates in conjunction with St. Francis Parish to provide meals to the underserved population.
Every third Monday of the month during the school year, students were sent home with a simple brown paper bag. Many took time to color pictures on the bag, some included encouraging notes, and they all packed a meal for a complete stranger.
In filling these bags with nourishment, students were given a hands-on opportunity to practice generosity and kindness by filling bags with nourishment—in the way of encouragement.
A volunteer parent collected the lunches from each classroom on delivery day and, with the help of students from the sixth-grade class, transported the lunches to the dining hall. Lead volunteer, Eric Storm, reported that, on average, St. Rose families donate 150 lunches per visit.
“St. Francis is always thrilled to receive our sack lunches and see the smiling faces of our students. Because of everyone’s generosity, 150 people get to have a nice lunch they may not otherwise receive that day. I am happy to be a part of this great project,” states Eric.
Since the inception of this service project, St. Rose School estimates that they have delivered over 30,000 sack lunches to St. Francis Dining Hall. They hope to continue this beloved tradition for many years to come.