A Big Difference in a Little Can

by Emily Klooster

Children eating rice at New Life School in India

A Christian school in Holland, MI reached a new record for the WCS Lunch Money program by raising $2700 for students in India. Your school can start a Lunch Money coin drive too, and help provide what is often a child's only daily meal.

“I liked it that we can make a big difference with a little canister.”

- Meka Tubergen, a fifth-grader at Rose Park Christian School in Holland, MI

Lunch Money is a program of Worldwide Christian Schools that enables North American students to partner with Christian schools in India. WCS provides coin canisters for students to take home, and kids return their full cans to the classroom. From there, WCS staff picks them up and delivers the coins to the bank. The change is counted and sent to four different WCS partner schools in India. 90% of the funds raised is used to buy food for school lunch programs, while 10% goes toward increasing the impact of the Lunch Money program.

Often, a school lunch is the only meal an Indian student will receive each day. Many families in India live in poverty, but just like in the United States, parents want the best for their children. Sending them to a quality Christian school where they will receive a consistent meal gives parents relief from the constant worry that their children will go hungry.

Rose Park Christian School in Holland, Michigan recently made a big impact for the Lunch Money program. This past November, students and teachers raised $2700 for Indian students, a record for the program which launched last spring.

“I was excited that our school could look beyond our own walls to help in a nation on the other side of the earth,” said fifth-grade teacher Jim Geertsma. “Fifth graders learn the locations of all of the world's countries, so they knew where India was, but none of my students could say that they have experienced real hunger. The fact that this lunch money would provide the only daily meal for some children was hard for us to imagine.”

In India, as little as 20 cents will buy a lunch, so Rose Park’s coins will be a big help to the Indian schools. In turn, the Lunch Money program has had its influence at Rose Park. “I finally had a good way to put my change to good use,” said fifth-grader Austin Gehreke. Fellow Rose Park student Jacob Faber said, “I felt that I had accomplished something, and I felt proud that I could help these people.” Macy Bakker was straightforward with her feelings toward the program. "I really liked dumping all my money in the can," she confided.

Although raising funds for Lunch Money was an effort made by the entire school, the fifth grade class at Rose Park has plans to “pen pal” with a classroom in India as a result of the program. Through writing and receiving letters, the students will learn that helping each other goes both ways. Their coins provide meals for Indian children, and in return they receive an opportunity to learn about the rich culture, family backgrounds and daily routines of students in India.

“I would love to have a pen pal,” said fifth-grader Carly Palmatier. “I think I could learn to say my name in Indian.” Caleb Bol told us, “I would like to have a pen pal in India because they would teach me how to work harder. I think they have to work harder over there.”

Mr. Geertsma is proud of the effort made by Rose Park students. “In our class it was fun to see a large jar fill up with money,” he said. “Students brought in full canisters before the due date, and then brought the canister home again to refill it!”

Rose Park fifth-graders hold up their Lunch Money cans

For more information on the Lunch Money program, contact gmeadows@wcs-us.org or (800) 886-9000, or donate now.