Empty Plates, Full Kids

This program started in 2014, when one of our volunteers had to leave our office early one day when she realized she forgot to pack lunch for her youngest son. When she got to the school, she saw her son sitting with a cafeteria worker and eating a full meal. Surprised, our volunteer asked her son how he acquired his meal. He explained to her that the cafeteria worker (who would later become our friend and on-site supervisor, Elaine) bought him lunch with her own money. "No child should be hungry," she explained with a smile. Our volunteer came back to the office with an idea.

Through grants, this program provides meals to students who do not have lunch for the day. Our volunteers prepare, serve, and sit with the students and engage them in discussion. This is one of our most popular programs!