NETWORK - NEWS
NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM
As the volunteers lined up behind boxes of packed lunches, children from every direction emerged, excited and ready for lunch. Each child was handed a bag of food with a smile and all of them were grateful and left knowing they wouldn’t go hungry on that day.
This was the scene every Tuesday and Thursday at Springhill Apartments as volunteers fed children from the area surrounding Carolyn G. Bukhair Elementary.
When school year lets out for the summer, hunger among children begins, especially for over 17,000 on free or reduced lunch in the RISD district. Network decided to fill that gap with its new program called “Big Meals for Little Kids,” recognizing that getting to a food distribution site during the summer adds an extra burden on parents who lack transportation. Their children still need to eat, so Network took the food to them.
Through a generous grant from Boeing, Network was able to launch this pilot program, Big Meals for Little Kids, and distribute over 1,000 meals to hungry children.
"This program continues our commitment to the community to keep our children fed during the long days of summer,” remarked Alice Mae Britt, Network’s CEO. “For them, the summer becomes a struggle to survive until the school doors open again. Our program is unique because we have identified the roadblock to feeding the community’s young and hungry, and made bringing the food to them every week the cornerstone of the project."
Network, with the help of community friends was able to put food to eat in the hands of 203 children and youth ages 2-14 years old. Joining Network were volunteers who packed and distributed kids food bags from First United Methodist Church in Richardson, the Richardson Central Kiwanis Club, All Saints Catholic Parish, Fellowship Bible Church and Congressman Sam Johnson’s staff.
Already funded through 2012, the vision for this project is to expand each year to more apartment complexes in the RISD area with high concentrations of low income families to feed more children with mobile food deliveries throughout the summer months.
The NETWORK of Community Ministries, founded in 1986, is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to caring, coaching and empowering neighbors in need as they seek an improved quality of life. NETWORK provides low-income families in need of short-term support shelter, food and clothing. NETWORK also offers help through other programs, which include the Adolescent and Children’s Clinic and The Seniors’ Net. NETWORK is located at 741 S. Sherman, Richardson, TX 75081.
