Harvest Chapel in Abbottstown wanted to give back to the community in a new way.
Inspired by a social media post, Lead Pastor Matthew Smith and Pastor Anna Smith envisioned paying it forward by helping pay for student lunch debt instead of buying coffee for the person behind them in a line.
“We loved the idea,” said Tyler Wagner, youth and community life pastor. “We found out it was a really big need in our community.”
The church shared information about the need with its congregation and collected “a love offering” on two Sundays.
Harvest Chapel raised $8,000 to offset the food service debts to assist hundreds of students at area schools, said Wagner.
“We want to touch people in our community that might not ever step foot in our church,” Wagner said.
Donating to food service debt, the church gave $4,902 to Bermudian Springs School District (BSSD); $1,772 to Conewago Valley School District’s (CVSD) Conewago Township Elementary and New Oxford Elementary; and $1,382 to Hanover Public School District’s Clearview Elementary School.
Lori Wolabaugh, senior pastor and co-founder of Harvest Chapel with her husband, Don, said the church collected donations two weeks in December leading up to Christmas.
“When children came back (to school) in the new year, they could start with a clean slate,” Wolabaugh said. “We wanted to make sure children have an opportunity for a great education and have a great experience in school. Why not start the new year right in 2023?”
Bermudian Business Manager Justin Peart announced at the school board’s caucus meeting last week that Harvest Chapel “cleared the entire negative balance of our lunch and breakfast debt for the entire district” as of the last day of school prior to the holiday break.
“We are very grateful and very pleased,” Peart said.
Shane Hotchkiss, Bermudian superintendent, also thanked Harvest Chapel for giving back to the district.
Matt Muller, CVSD director of safety and communications, said the donation is set to cover the debt of 62 students at the two elementary schools.
CVSD Superintendent Sharon Perry expressed how “impressed and humbled” she felt by the community coming together “in the best interest of our students.”
“We are grateful to our community partners who collaborate with our district in order to meet the needs of our students,” Perry said. “We appreciate Harvest Chapel’s donation of funds for lunch accounts as we know that students learn best when their basic needs are met.”
Ashley Sprankle, CVSD director of food service, said the district has received $2,072 in donations so far this school year, bringing the total to $7,480 over the years.
Wagner said this “opened the door” to potentially give back again in the future.
“This opened up eyes to this need we have in our community and within our school districts,” Wagner said.
Someone from Harvest Chapel’s congregation is looking into paying for a student’s lunch for the entire year, said Wagner.
“We don’t know who these kids are. Our heart is to love well. We want to be a blessing in our community in different ways,” Wagner said.
Emphasizing “sonship, identity and the gifts of the spirit,” Harvest Chapel, located at 6947 York Road, seeks “to create an impact by passionately and clearly communicating the message of truth and love,” according to its website.
Wolabaugh and her husband, who have been in this community for the past 25 years, have touched families in need by assisting with groceries, gift cards, blankets, hats, and coats, among many other ways.
“This was something different and unique,” Wolabaugh said. “This would bless the students, the school districts, and the parents who are struggling right now.”
