Bag Brigade to hold stuff-the-bus

By Taylor Brown

tbrown@yourmvi.com

A local charity that provides weekend food bags to students in the Belle Vernon Area hopes to restock its shelves in time for the first day of school.

The Bag Brigade began six years ago when Kathy Kelly and Ashley Eisengart started a ministry through Gospel Alliance Church and it has grown each year.

As the program continues to expand to make sure students in BVA don’t go hungry when school is out of session, the need for nonperishable food items and snacks is increasing.

To help get a jump on donations for this school year, the Bag Brigade team will host its first-ever stuff-the-bus event from 3 to 6 p.m. Aug. 22 at the “Hub,” located at the old WCCC building in Rostraver Township. 

Kelly said organizers are preparing for a big year. 

With Kristie Bowman now on their team, Kelly and Eisengart were brainstorming ways to ensure they were prepared for the students who depend on them.

Donations are needed more than ever because for the first time this summer, the group fed more than 200 students on a weekly basis.

“We’re hoping to fill a school bus that will be on site with food for the kids,” Kelly said. “After packing all summer for 200 kids, the shelves are a bit depleted.

“So we are hoping for a successful event to get ready for the new school year.”

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