Community Rallies to Combat Child Hunger: Lunches of Love Receives Overwhelming Support for Summer Lunch Program
Rosenberg-based non-profit organization, Lunches of Love (LoL), has been met with an outpouring of support from the community for their summer lunch program. The organization had called for more juice boxes for their summer meal distributions via a Facebook post on June 6. Within 24 hours, they were inundated with donations, receiving several cases of juice boxes. These donations then increased over the next few days, reaching an impressive total of 36,000 boxes, enough to feed children in need across the local area for 24 days.
LoL was originated as a ministry of First United Methodist Church Rosenberg in 2009, feeding around 150 children. Three years later, it became a registered non-profit organization and now provides lunches to over 4,000 children. The service has expanded to include 18 LCISD schools, 3 FBISD schools, and includes a second host site – Lunches of Love at The Harvest. The organization primarily caters to children in need and those qualifying for the state’s free lunch program.
Just before the donations began pouring in, LoL's supplies had dwindled to extremely low levels, leaving the organization unsure about how to they would continue to provide for the children they serve. The community's overwhelming support for the summer lunch program left the organization’s staff "in tears," according to a statement made by LoL on social media.
LoL’s free sack lunch initiative runs Monday through Friday during summer break, from May 28 through August 9. The lunches include a main entree, a snack, and a juice or water, costing approximately $0.75 each to make. They are available for pick up from a variety of schools, apartment complexes, parks, and churches in the area.
Many children living in families facing food insecurity rely on school lunch as their only meal of the day. LoL plays an essential role in filling the gap during extended school holidays and weekends. In the local community, over 87% of children attending Title 1 Schools rely on free or reduced lunches during the school year. Without initiatives like LoL, many of these children would go hungry.
Although the recent outpouring of support has made a measurable difference for the LoL summer lunch program, additional support will be needed to provide lunches for children in need throughout the summer. To learn more about how to support LoL through volunteering or donations, visit lunchesoflove.net.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
