Photo courtesy of Feeding America
When we were kids, my younger brother was a family legend.
Even though he was pretty scrawny until high school football came around, that kid could eat his body weight in food.
My mom was constantly amazed at how quickly an entire pantry full of food would disappear.
She bought in bulk and we regularly went to restaurants that offered buffets because that was the only way to keep my brother full.
Clearly, he was a growing boy. He wound up being over six feet tall.
It appears he got his massive appetite honest. My mom frequently recalls the time she first cooked for my dad’s family. She swears she cooked 10 pounds of mashed potatoes for his crew of six nephews, and it didn’t even make it around the dinner table once!
Luckily for us, my family had the ability to pay for enough food to keep all our big eaters fed.
When I think of how much extra food my parents had to buy to feed us three meals a day in the summer, I often wonder how a low-income family could possibly do it.
Families who rely on the free or reduced school lunch program during the school year are often barely able to provide their kids one meal a day. In the state of Missouri, over 40% of children utilize school lunches.
When summer hits, these families must make huge sacrifices to give their “growing kids” the basics of three meals a day. Some parents skip meals themselves to make sure their kids eat while some skimp on other necessities to buy food. Others are forced to turn to agencies like the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
Luckily, we are here to help. But we can’t do it alone.
Once again this summer, Fresh 102.5 is hosting their Sixth Annual Christmas in July food drive.
Since this event started, the food drive has collected more than $7,600 and 24,800 pound of food items; enabling the Foodbank to distribute over 48,000 meals to our area’s needy families.
In the heat of the summer, this food drive helps the Foodbank keep up with higher demand.
But without support from you – a member of our community – none of this would be possible. Here’s how you can help local families in need this summer:
- Host a food and funds drive at your business, church or home.
- Donate any non-perishable items at any of the Fresh 102.5 live broadcast events:
o 12 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 24 at the Central West End Straub’s
o 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 25 at the Clayton Straub’s
o 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 26 at the Town & Country Straub’s
o 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 29 at the Webster Groves Straub’s - Visit Fresh 102.5’s website and donate any monetary amount via the Christmas in July virtual food drive! It’s fun and easy!
- Encourage your co-workers to work together for a great cause! You can register your workplace today to contribute a group donation of at least 102 canned food items for pick-up. Fill out the form here and Fresh 102.5 will contact you within one week to set up a convenient pick-up time for your office.
Bring out your holiday generosity early and help keep a child from going hungry for the rest of the summer.
Bethany Prange is the communications coordinator at the St. Louis Area Foodbank
Casey Milton is the product donations coordinator at the St. Louis Area Foodbank
