MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - On November 16th Many Hands, a non-profit organization, hosted a packing session for their Weekend Survival Kits program.

One kit includes enough meals and snacks for a child to eat over the course of a weekend. These kits help children in low-income families by bridging the gap until they get back to free or reduced meals at school.

Regional Crew Leader Jillian Eaton said it is important for children to be nourished, "When they go without food that whole weekend, they can fall one to two grade levels behind."

With over one hundred volunteers, 1,350 weekend survival kits were packaged for children in various counties and will be delivered to the students.

Eaton said she gets emotional when looking at the growth of the program.

"I have been with the program for four years and it has grown tremendously," Eaton said. "I to, am able to teach my kids."

Volunteer Nathan Triplet has the pleasure of packing and delivering the Survival Kits, "When you see these kids who receive one of the packs and they know they are gonna be able to go home and have meals and snacks for the weekend, it puts a smile on their face."