Feeding Chester County All Year Long: School’s Out (And So Are Lunch Programs)
The last day of school is a joyous occasion for most school-aged children: the summer stretches before them, seemingly infinite, full of leisure, adventure and fun. However, for 13,500 kids in Chester County, the end of school also means that they can no longer count on the free or reduced-price meals they receive from the National School Lunch Program and the National School Breakfast Program.
To help mitigate this sense of insecurity for these children and their families, the Chester County Food Bank has developed the Summer Food Box. Local families can qualify for this program through their local food cupboard, the local summer feeding program at their school or through their local church or youth center.
Once a month during July and August, we provide participants with shelf-stable and kid-friendly staples, like mac and cheese, oatmeal, applesauce, beans and milk. This summer, we anticipate giving out nearly 3,000 boxes to families via 18 locations in our communities. We’ll use any remaining boxes for Back to School Nights, evening ESL classes and other similar events where parents from lower-income families may be.
We rely on donations and volunteer power to make our Summer Food Box program as impactful as possible each summer. Please consider getting involved to help the Chester County Food Bank continue our mission to secure, manage and distribute food to those in need.
Want to learn more? Sign up for our newsletter and stay connected. You can also donate food, funds and time to help us achieve our mission. Call (610) 873-6000 to speak to someone about getting involved or request a tour. Thanks to you, we’re growing a healthier community.
The Chester County Food Bank is the central hunger relief organization serving more than 120 food cupboards, meal sites and social service organizations throughout Chester County. We mobilize our community to ensure access to real, healthy food.
Top and third photos: BigStock; second and fourth photos: Chester County Food Bank