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Sandy Journal

Local church provides cereal, sponsors food delivery for Sandy Elementary students

Feb 23, 2022 06:26PM ● By Julie Slama

Grace Lutheran Church Pastor Anthony Masinelli, and his wife Cheryl, left, and Sandy Elementary assistant principal Anne Hansen pose by some of the cereal the church recently gave to students. (Isa Connelly/Sandy Elementary)

By Julie Slama | [email protected]

For three years, Grace Lutheran Church has ensured Sandy Elementary students will start their day with something to eat during the winter break.

This school year, the church donated more than 400 boxes of cereal, so each student had one during the weeks when the Title I school wasn’t held.

Other Title I schools in the district—Copperview, Midvalley, Midvale and East Midvale elementaries and Midvale Middle—also received donations from other schools, churches or businesses, said Sandy Community Schools Facilitator Isa Connelly.

Grace Lutheran Church Senior Pastor Anthony Masinelli said they partnered with the Malt-o-Meal plant in Tremonton to collect the 20 cases of Post cereal which was distributed at Sandy Elementary.

The partnership between Grace Lutheran Church and Sandy Elementary is long-standing.

“They called us up about seven years ago and asked how they could help,” Connelly said, grateful for the service the church provides. “They pay for our (Utah) Food Bank truck as well.”

The cost of the truck delivering food each month to students in need is about $5,000 per year for the operating fees, she said, adding that each of the Title I elementary schools has a sponsor to help with those fees.

At Sandy Elementary, between 72 to 94 bags of food are distributed monthly to school children.