“It takes a village.” That’s what they say it takes to raise a child. From the teachers and staff to the maintenance team to those that provide meals, each person working at Asbell Elementary creates a space for kids to grow in their education and personal development.
However, Asbell’s School Counselor Cameron Magness says there is another essential member of that team: a lunch buddy. “The Lunch Buddy program is a mentorship program, where adults are able to care, love, and support our kids,” said Magness.
Around seven years ago, Melanie Faught’s church missions pastor, Greg Gibson, was seeking ways to serve Fayetteville Public Schools. After an exploratory meeting, Faught felt a nudge to drive to Asbell. There, she met Cameron Magness, and together, along with Gibson, they organized the Lunch Buddy program.
Faught said, “Cameron’s enthusiasm & willingness to take on the extra workload of Lunch Buddies has made our partnership a success.”
For many children in need of personal encouragement, Lunch Buddies serves as a way to create a loving and steady relationship. Faught said that the kids feel valued when they know their buddy is coming to school just to see them. “That consistent involvement can help a buddy’s bad day turn good,” Fought said. “Our volunteers have supported their buddies during challenging times and have also cheered them on in their accomplishments.”
Now, as the program is headed by Christ Church, Faught continues to work steadily to provide Asbell and other schools with consistent encouragement and mentorship to kids.
“The more our Christ Church community has personally gotten to know Asbell families and staff, the more our church has discovered ways to serve them," said Faught. "And, because of that, both communities have been blessed."
“The Lunch Buddy program is a mentorship program, where adults are able to care, love, and support our kids,” said Cameron Magness.