Would you withhold food from a hungry child?
Chances are, you wouldn’t. But with the number of families living in poverty increasing in alarming numbers, being hungry has become the norm for many of these children. In New Jersey alone, more than 800,000 people fell within the poverty level. It is estimated that one in eight, roughly 13 percent of that number, are children.
The Rev. Dr. Cathy Deats, Rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church noted “Throughout the school year, many of these children are fed through various breakfast and lunch programs. The true crisis begins when school is out for the summer, leaving many of these families struggling to survive.”
Enter the Summer Back Pack Program.
In conjunction with United Way of Northern New Jersey, St. James’ Episcopal Church is providing food to many of these needy children. The program provides chronically hungry children with pre-assembled bags filled with non-perishable, “kid-friendly” food to eat during the summer months. Items may include peanut butter, cereal, fruit cups, snack mixes, pudding cups, granola bars and crackers, just to name a few.
