Summer is here, and for kids across the region, it’s time for family vacations, sleepovers with friends, and a break from homework. However, for students who rely on free and reduced-cost lunches during the school year, summertime can also mean going hungry. Penn Presbyterian Medical Center nurse Mildred Neron, RN, is on a mission to change that for the underserved children in her community.
Last year, Neron developed the Brown Bag Meals Program, hosted by Serving the Light Ministries. Every other week in July and August, Neron and volunteers from her church distributed free brown bag lunches to low-income families struggling with food insecurity in Salem, New Jersey. While the program served about 150 children and families each week, Neron was determined to expand its reach and increase its frequency. She successfully applied for a Penn Medicine CAREs grant, and she is eager to make an even bigger impact in the coming months.
The popularity of last year’s program confirmed that this is “a widespread need. The community really lacks infrastructure and resources, and a free lunch can go a long way in giving someone one less thing to worry about,” Neron said. “With the CAREs grant funding, we’ll be able to serve weekly lunches instead of just twice a month, and this can become a reliable meal for the kids and families who need it most.”
Every person who participates in the program will receive a free sandwich of their choice, locally-sourced fruit, and a healthy beverage, and they’re welcome to stick around and enjoy their meal with the community. Extra food is also available for those who need it. After all, “everyone’s coming from their own circumstances. Maybe someone lost a job, or the family doesn’t have a permanent home right now. It’s my hope that something as small as providing a consistent, nutritious lunch once a week can make a difference and relieve some stress,” Neron said.
Interested in volunteering with the Brown Bag Lunch Program? Contact Neron at 856-469-9828 or mildred.neron@pennmedicine.upenn.edu. To learn more about how you can fund your own outreach opportunity, visit PennMedicine.org/Community.