Trinity Receives Grant to Expand Weekend Food Program for Local Students

In a quiet but meaningful act of community care, Trinity Episcopal Church has received a “Light of Christ” grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin to expand its support of the Panther Packs program serving students in the Iowa-Grant School District.

For several years, members of Trinity Episcopal Church have supported Panther Packs both personally and through the church’s outreach budget. The new diocesan grant will allow the parish to deepen that commitment at a time when local need is growing.

Panther Packs provides child-friendly meals and snacks to students in 4K through 8th grade who may experience food insecurity at home. Before weekends and school breaks, bags of food are discreetly placed in children’s backpacks so they have something to eat when school meals are unavailable. School officials and volunteers say the need for the program has increased in recent years.

Located in southwestern Wisconsin, the Iowa-Grant School District serves approximately 700 students across Iowa and Grant counties in a largely agricultural region encompassing several villages and rural communities.

The Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin awards Light of Christ grants to congregations carrying out ministries that demonstrate compassion and service in their communities. According to grant materials, recipients are called to “serve others through concrete acts of love” and to share Christ’s light “more boldly than ever” in a time when it is deeply needed.

For Trinity parishioner Beth McGehee, who also works within the school district, the connection between faith and service was clear. McGehee led the effort to apply for the grant, helping secure additional support for the expanding program.

“There is perhaps no more concrete act of love than feeding someone when they are hungry,” one church member noted.

Research has consistently linked adequate nutrition to improved concentration, learning, and emotional well-being among children. By helping ensure students have access to food outside school hours, organizers say Panther Packs addresses a practical need while also providing reassurance and dignity to families facing hardship.

The partnership also reflects Trinity Episcopal Church’s long-standing role in the community. Founded in 1839, with its current church building constructed in 1845, Trinity is believed to be the oldest church building in Wisconsin continuously used by a worshiping congregation.

Today, the historic parish remains an active presence in Mineral Point. Worship services in the Anglican tradition are held Sundays at 9:30 a.m., featuring music from the church’s pipe organ and occasional guest musicians. The church also recently revitalized its outdoor labyrinth, offering visitors a quiet place for reflection and spiritual renewal day or night.

While the congregation may be small, parishioners hope the Light of Christ grant demonstrates how local churches can continue to make tangible differences in the lives of their neighbors — one backpack at a time.

https://www.igs.k12.wi.us/page/panther-packs-program