Nonprofit Providing After School Snacks In Wenatchee

A group that provides lunch to school-age kids in the summer is now busy during the school year. 

East Wenatchee-based Small Miracles is providing snacks in the afternoon for athletics and after-school programs. 

Small Miracles Executive Director Linda Belton says the new program is in the beginning stages. 

"Currently, we're just in Wenatchee," said Belton. "I'm sure that as soon as Eastmont finds out, it'll be moving towards that way too." 

The after-school program currently serves 300 students at Wenatchee High School, and there are plans to spread its reach to surrounding school districts. 

The idea for the after-school program started with Wenatchee parent and volunteer Kristi DeLozier, who contacted Belton with the hope of getting snacks for 48 students participating in baseball. 

According to a news release from the Wenatchee School District, it was Wenatchee High School Assistant Principal Donna Moser who worked to grow the program to include students in all after-school activities during the spring season.  

The program is a partnership between Small Miracles and the Wenatchee High School Special Education program. 

Small Miracles supplies the snacks while 20 students in Kelly Sims’s Special Education class fill 10 containers with snacks, which are distributed among the spring sports teams and clubs.  

Around 300 students have access to the snacks. 

The process has gone through one cycle with Small Miracles set to provide more snacks to fill the 10 containers for as long as is needed during the spring semester. 

The plan is for the after-school program to return for the fall semester. 

Belton says the program serves kids and keeps Small Miracles’ name circulating during their normal downtime.  

"Small Miracles had been looking for a way to, kind of, keep our name out there so that the families don't forget that we're there," Belton said. "We work in the summer, and then we, kind of. go dark until late spring again." 

Small Miracles will soon start its 13th year of the Small Miracles Summer Food Program. 

The group gets partially reimbursed for the summer program by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, but most of its financing comes through fundraising. 

The summer program is meant for school students who qualify for free or reduced lunch during the school year but is open to all students. 

Small Miracles says it serves more than 9,000 children in the Wenatchee Valley every summer. 

The summer lunch locations are identified below: 

WENATCHEE 

• Lincoln Park - 1410 Mission Street 
• Pioneer Park – 220 Fuller St 
• Washington Park – 110 S. Miller St 
• Methow Park- 420 Methow St 

ROCK ISLAND 

• Schooler Park – Rock Island Drive 

CASHMERE 

• Simpson Park- Pioneer Ave 

EAST WENATCHEE 

• Eastmont Baptist Church- 400S. Kentucky Ave 
• Lee Elementary School - 1455 North Baker Street 

MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS ONLY 

• Peshastin Dryden Elementary School - 1001 School Street