Become a Lunch Buddy – Richland Wilkin Kinship

What do Lunch Buddies do?

Lunch Buddies was designed to match an adult with an elementary-age student and have them spend time during their lunch period, twice per month. An adult mentor meets their Lunch Buddy, grabs lunch from the lunchroom, and walks to the designated “Lunch Buddies” area where you eat together and enjoy a game or create a short art/craft activity; share laughs, encouragement, and connection.

What is the mentor commitment? Approximately 16 lunch hours a year can be the difference maker for a child.

As a Lunch Buddy mentor, you commit to volunteering to meet your Lunch Buddy student twice a month, on scheduled days, during the child’s lunch period from October through May. The Lunch Buddy mentor is responsible to pay their school lunch expense or pack a lunch. Businesses/employers may choose to sponsor a Lunch Buddies by covering the cost of the mentor’s lunch.

There are substitute buddies available if you are sick or an emergency comes up.

Lunch Buddies is dependent on having mentors. We can only serve as many students as we have mentors so your commitment to Lunch Buddies is invaluable.

Who are the students in the Lunch Buddies program?

Lunch Buddies is designed to serve elementary aged students. Teachers, school counselors, or school staff refer students who they think will benefit from this program. This is a voluntary program; parents and students fill out a simple questionnaire on the student’s interests. Previous Lunch Buddies students have loved spending time, one on one, with their Lunch Buddies.

Wahpeton Public School Lunch Buddies serves 3rd through 5th graders. Breckenridge Elementary serves 3rd through 4th graders.

How do students benefit from a mentor relationship?

At Kinship, we believe every child deserves a mentor. Each and every child benefits from caring, nurturing and healthy relationships. Meaningful relationships promote positive self-esteem, self-confidence and respect for others. In addition, studies have shown that young people with mentors are more likely to stay in school, get better grades, and go to college while less likely to start experimenting with alcohol and drugs.

A 2024 Kinship Survey found that 92% of Lunch Buddy Parents saw an improvement in their child’s attitude towards school and behaviors, along with improvements in their child’s relationships with peers. In addition, 85% of parents report their child had improved in academic performance, grades, social skills, courtesy, and manners.

When are the lunches?

Once a mentor is approved and “matched” to be a Lunch Buddy, they will receive a packet of training information along with the school district’s Lunch Buddies schedule and lunch period times. It occurs typically twice a month from October through May, depending on the school schedule/holidays/school breaks. We ask that Lunch Buddies arrive 5 minutes before the lunch period to sign into the office and get to meeting area to wait for their lunch buddy to be dismissed from class. Lunch Buddies typically takes 45 minutes to an hour. It lasts the duration of the student’s lunch and recess period.

What does it mean to be a Kinship Lunch Buddies Business Sponsor?

Kinship is inviting businesses to join Richland-Wilkin Kinship to provide and sponsor a staff member, during lunch twice a month, to participate in “Lunch Buddies”. Sponsoring an employee means you will purchase their school lunches for a year (approximately $70/year based on 2023 rates) and allow them time to attend Lunch Buddies.

Through this collaborative effort we are introducing students to art of mentoring by providing children with a caring adult role model. We thank you for your interest and support.

How do I become a Lunch Buddy?

Lunch Buddies are required to complete a Kinship application and school background check. This is free of charge and allows Kinship and the school to ensure the children’s safety and help us make a “match” with shared interests. These are submitted the school you’re applying to be a Lunch Buddy at. Once approved, mentors receive a training handbook that should be reviewed prior to our first lunch. On the first day of Lunch Buddies we provide an orientation.