ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Every Tuesday night, volunteers with Love and Care Ministries pack bags of food for students who are a part of their Care Packs for Kids program. These students are usually on a free-and-reduced lunch program at school, and these bags are given to them over the weekends.

“It takes care of children in our community and across, probably eleven different districts in our community around Abilene,” explained Love and Care Ministries founder Mark Hewitt. “These are for kids that don’t get to eat on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”

Beginning in 2019, the program has grown to help serve 1,500 students across the Big Country. This week, they’ll more than double that number due to the Thanksgiving break.

“Kids don’t get to pick who their families are and their certain circumstances, and so if we can give back to them, there’s nothing better than being charitable to children,” said Cheri Sims, a volunteer for the program.

Sims has been volunteering for the program since it started and in light of the giving season-says there’s no better feeling.

“It’s a great feeling, even when you’re down when you come in here when you leave by the time you’re done, you’re feeling good because you made a difference,” said Sims.

Even Sim’s children are beginning to understand the importance of giving back.

“My daughter actually gets on a bus, and she made a point of there’s people on my bus in my own community that needs this food and use this food on the weekends, and I think that’s important,” Sims explained.

Hewitt says the reason behind the program is simple.

“We do it for those children. To help feed a child just a little bit of food for a weekend, that’s well worth it,” said Hewitt.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Care Packs for Kids program, you can visit Love and Care Ministries website Carepack for Kids | Love & Care Ministries (lcmin.com) or contact them at (325)670-0246.