What is new for Northwoods Drifter in 2026
Every weekday morning in Merrill, volunteers arrive early at Christ United Methodist Church to prep hundreds of meals. By 11:30 a.m., families are already lined up at the door.
What started as a small effort to help a few neighborhood kids in 2013 has grown into a community institution that now serves more than 200 free lunches daily throughout the summer.
“We used to think that 100 in a day was a lot,” says Rachel Bergmann, program co-coordinator. “But now we’re serving 100 within the first half-hour.”
When school lets out in June, thousands of Northwoods kids lose access to the free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches they rely on during the academic year. That creates what food security experts call the “summer hunger gap.”
In 2013, members of Christ United Methodist noticed that gap right here in Merrill. Some children in their neighborhood had little access to food when school cafeterias closed for summer break.
By 2015, the church had formalized a Monday-through-Friday lunch service that runs for 12 weeks straight, through the end of August. The program is part of Wisconsin’s broader summer meals network, which is backed by USDA funding and administered through the state Department of Public Instruction.
Every meal includes an entrée, vegetables, and snacks — no cost, no paperwork, no questions asked for kids and teens 18 and under.
Sandy Huxtable, who co-coordinates the program with Bergmann, estimates her team of volunteers prepares and distributes thousands of meals over the course of each summer.
The church doesn’t do it alone. Christ United Methodist has partnered with the Merrill Food Pantry and four other local congregations to keep the operation running smoothly.
“This whole community really helps support that program and they’re all coming together to make sure that the kids have something to eat during the middle of the day.” — Sandy Huxtable, program coordinator
Parents stop by to thank volunteers in person. Some families arrive early to make sure they don’t miss pickup, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. weekdays.
“We hear stories from them, their parents thank us,” Bergmann says. “It’s great to be able to make these connections with parents and with the kids as well.”
The Merrill summer lunch program is open to all children and teens 18 and under. No registration or income verification is required — kids just show up during pickup hours.
Here’s what families need to know:
Similar programs operate at hundreds of sites across Wisconsin, especially in communities where access to affordable food can be a challenge during the summer months.
The explosion in daily meal counts at Merrill’s site mirrors trends across rural Wisconsin. Transportation distances, seasonal work schedules, and rising grocery costs all add pressure to family budgets when school meal programs pause for summer.
In smaller Northwoods towns, fewer nearby food options and longer travel distances can make summer even harder. Programs like Merrill’s don’t just feed kids — they ease the financial strain on households trying to stretch paychecks through the summer.
Wisconsin’s statewide Summer Food Service Program serves millions of meals each year, according to state reporting. Families can use the Department of Public Instruction’s site finder or call 2-1-1 to locate the nearest summer meal location.
Some rural communities have adapted by offering meal pickup or even delivery to reach families who face transportation barriers.
The Merrill program thrives because of volunteer hours and community donations. Churches, businesses, and neighbors pitch in with food, funding, and hands-on help in the kitchen.
If you’re looking for a summer meal site for your family or want to support a program in your area, the state’s online site finder lists locations across the Northwoods and updates regularly starting in May.
For families in the Merrill area, Christ United Methodist Church remains the go-to spot through late August. Volunteers will be there every weekday, packing lunches and welcoming kids.
As Bergmann and Huxtable see it, the program isn’t just about filling stomachs. It’s about showing up for neighbors when they need it most — a very Northwoods way of doing things.
Written by
Mike has been coming up or living in the Northwoods since his childhood. He is also an avid outdoorsman, writer and supper club aficionado.
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