In the fall of 2016, Sandhills Student Assistance, Inc. (SSA) was founded by the late Ken Rahal. The King James bible version of Matthew 25:40 is most commonly used. “The King will reply and say unto them, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."”

More than a dozen churches in Moore county included (and more today include) Matthew 25:40 in their community outreach efforts by collecting one or more of about ten snack food items. These items are gathered regularly from the churches by the Director of SSA, Mike Branscome, and provided as needed to replenish modest inventories in more than a dozen Moore County public schools. School social workers and counsellors at the schools discern the hunger and other needs of individual students. They distribute the food or other items in a discrete and caring way, respectful of the sensitivity, self-awareness and vulnerability of students at risk.

The Mission of Sandhills Student Assistance

Sandhills Student Assistance, Inc. (SSA) addresses the urgent problems of Moore County school children who arrive at school hungry, or without adequate basic clothing, or in other immediate need. SSA provides schools with snack food nutrition and other products for students, identified by school personnel, who arrive at school with immediate needs, or are identified to be at other risk.

The specific objectives and purpose of this organization are:

• to provide portable snack food at the school to hungry and/or at-risk school children;
• to provide emergency clothing items to at risk children who arrive at school without adequate shoes, cold weather outer wear or other essential clothing;
• to provide other items such as hygiene products and emergency medicine to serve immediate needs of school children as identified by school personnel;
• to sponsor, host and/or participate in events and activities that promote the support of at risk children in public schools

We have found in doing this ministry that there is much more need in Moore County than we ever realized! More than emergency nutrition, there are many other needs that arise which must be addressed immediately. School social workers encounter student problems the solution for which allows no time for need-based grant applications or charitable organization reviews.

Cash donations are needed to meet emergency needs.

• *Blankets and pillows for a family that lost almost everything in the storm
• *Clothes for a kindergarten child who was wearing clothes two sizes to small
• *Underwear for young children
• *Food for families in need
• *Laundry detergent for family whose children need to wash their clothes
*Hygiene items for children
• *Space heaters for at least four families
• *Sheets and towels for families affected by storms
• *A well pump for a family where the grandfather is raising his grandchildren
• *Numerous pairs of shoes and socks
• *A trunk for a middle school student to protect his personal belongings
• *Several coats for children who needed them

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