Goshen Health’s Summer Health Lunch Bunch Program Brings Food, Education and Fun to Students Each Summer

In 2018, Goshen Health started the Summer Health Lunch Bunch Program as a fun way to help kids learn about health. With obesity and health education identified as top community health needs, the Summer Health Lunch Bunch addresses those concerns by bringing hands-on education to kids and families participating in summer feeding programs sponsored by local school systems.

While kids enjoy a free lunch provided by the schools, local health experts lead fun, interactive health education activities at the same time. The program has reached more than 11,000 students to date.

“Each week focuses on a different health topic,” said Stacy Bowers, Community Engagement Manager, Goshen Health. “We cover nutrition, physical activity, mental health and general wellness. Students are engaged through a variety of learning activities such as playing games, group activities or making a craft related to a health topic.”

To maximize the program’s impact, Goshen Health partners with several organizations. The health system works with local schools to determine the best sites for the program, and community partners help lead the activities each week. While the dates of the Summer Health Lunch Bunch vary by site, students learn about the same health topic at each location. Each site has a different community partner, and that partner works with Goshen Health to lead the weekly lesson.

“We have found that having the same community partner lead the activities at one site throughout the summer helps increase student and family engagement in the program,” said Stacy Bowers, Community Engagement Manager, Goshen Health. “The families and students build trust with the partner and look forward to seeing them each week.”

For 2025, program partners include Goshen Community Schools, Warsaw Community Schools, Center for Healing & Hope, Goshen Farmers Market, Purdue Extension of Elkhart County, Live Well Kosciusko and Cultivate Food Rescue.

Three years ago, Goshen Health began working with Cultivate Food Rescue to provide frozen backpack meals on Fridays at targeted Summer Health Lunch Bunch sites. This year, 150 backpacks are being distributed every Friday from June 2 through July 18 at three program sites in Goshen. In addition, Goshen Health and Cultivate deliver another 75 bags each week to the Tolson Center for Community Excellence and Lifeline Youth & Family Services.

These frozen backpack meals contain six nutritionally balanced meals, giving kids access to regular meals over the weekend while they are out of school for the summer. Cultivate Food Rescue prepares the meals with microwaves in mind, as microwaves are a widely accessible food preparation resource and easy for kids to use when preparing their own meals.

Goshen Health is proud to help fund and distribute these meals as an enhancement to the program.

“Our mission at Goshen Health is improving the health of our community, and one way we can do that is to start education early—and often—with kids,” said Stacy Bowers, Community Engagement Manager, Goshen Health. “Frequency is key. The more often they hear information, the more likely they are to adopt healthy behaviors as part of their lifestyle.”

To learn more about how Goshen Health gets out into the community to educate families and improve local health, visit goshenhealth.com.