Dear Friend,
Summer is flying by! I hope you and your family are making the most of each day because the new school year is just around the corner. While many children (and parents) are excited about new routines, this transition brings added stress for southwestern Pennsylvania families that are facing hunger.
It’s true, the start of the school year will bring a return to free meals for many children. But we still have several critical weeks of summer left. Children need a steady source of nutritious food right now so they can return to the classroom feeling recharged, nourished and ready to learn. And they’re not the only ones experiencing hunger and hardship right now.
But thanks to you and your amazing support, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank can provide the nutritious meals our neighbors need. I hope you enjoy this edition of News from the Heart and are reminded of the vital difference your support means to families in our community.
Then, I hope you’ll consider giving to help even more southwestern Pennsylvanians. When every $1 helps provide up to 3 meals, you can change countless lives this summer and provide a strong start to the school year.
With gratitude,
Lisa A. Scales
President and CEO
Everybody Is Worthy
You’re providing summertime support for families
During the summer months, families often spend at least double their usual amount on groceries. Without the safety net of school lunches, providing three meals a day becomes a heavy financial burden. In smaller towns like Rockwood, long commutes, limited local work and rising food and gas prices make this summer gap even harder to navigate.
The Rockwood Summer Youth Café steps in to fill that gap. The program provides supplemental food to anyone 18 and under, completely removing income requirements. Each child receives milk, a bag of fresh produce, daily snacks and a freezer bag packed with meals.
“It’s meals that are easy. They’re microwaveable for kids so that if they’re home by themself, because most families, both parents work and just try to gear toward that age where they can make it in the microwave,” shares Katie, one of the café organizers.
The community need is growing rapidly. Last summer, the café served 60 meals per day to local kids on Tuesdays and Fridays. Now, that number has doubled to an average of 120 meals a day. As grocery prices continue to climb, programs like the food café ensure families still have reliable access to healthy options.
“This is just a great way to help increase food for the community,” Katie says.
Rockwood residents remain incredibly grateful for the café’s vital support. For organizers like Katie, the true reward is the direct impact on the children they serve.
“It’s good to see the smiling faces. And I think it’s really helpful that there’s not this income barrier type of thing because it truly is for everybody,” Katie says. “So everybody is worthy.”
Because of your generosity, programs like this are possible. Thank you for supporting hunger relief every day!
Bridging the Summer Meal Gap
Offering lunch and peace of mind while school is out
When the stress of providing summer meals turns the heat up on families that are facing hunger, we’re grateful for friends like you who step up to the plate.
Because of your compassion, children can enjoy a brighter, healthier summer. Children like 9-year-old Jalissa, who sits on a picnic bench at her nearby community center, enjoying a nutritious boxed lunch. Today’s box is filled with yogurt, granola, fresh blueberries and milk — all provided through a summer camp program in partnership with her local food bank.
Jalissa is wise beyond her years and doesn’t take this meal for granted.
“I feel good when I get this food,” she says. “It reminds me that there are other people who don’t have food. [They’re] giving us food and that makes me happy.”
Thanks to the summer meals program, Jalissa can get lunch during the week. And when she returns to school, she’ll be nourished and ready to learn. With your support, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank can keep programs like this stocked and ready to serve neighborhood children. And that makes us happy too!
When you provide summer meals, you give children like Jalissa the fuel they need to thrive and the chance to simply be kids. And you show families and neighbors that they are not alone.
Thank you for your continued support. Together, we are fueling a brighter future, one summer meal at a time.
A Community of Care
With your support, the Armstrong Center for Medicine and Health is building community with heart
When the food pantry at the Armstrong Center for Medicine and Health opened its doors on April 5, 2024, it brought a vital lifeline to the community. The team not only supports immediate hunger relief for patients in their care, they also refer patients to neighborhood food pantries and other local resources that can help. This dedicated group is committed to making a meaningful difference.
Vicki White, community health program administrator, oversees the rural health initiative, offering help wherever needed. Social workers refer community members to the center, which then connects them to a network of food pantries and food bank partners. As Tricia Brice, manager of nutrition services and dietitian, explains: “They may be in here as an inpatient going home with food. They may have four pantries between here and there that they could get monthly. We are basically a steppingstone.”
When patients face hardships in accessing food, the Armstrong Center steps in to ensure no one goes hungry while in care. With generous donations from the Armstrong County Community Action Program, the Food Bank, and staff and visitors, shelves stay filled with fresh produce, bread, cheese, eggs, milk and frozen goods.
The staff wants everyone who visits to feel truly supported. “We have multiple options. We try our best to — it’s like you’re leaving your grandma’s house — just load ’em up,” shares Olivia Fusaro, the center’s risk prevention specialist.
Their dedication pays off with every person they help. “Having an immediate resource when a need is identified … so that you know that tonight they have a meal, I think is a great rewarding piece,” Tricia says. Vicki echoes, “I think the biggest reward is their gratitude and thankfulness that they show because sometimes they’re just beyond thankful.”
Thank you for supporting the programs that work to reach our rural communities. You’re making a difference in Armstrong County and beyond.
Fueling Summer Fun
Together, we’re helping kids like Roman make the most out of summer
On land, 13-year-old Roman is a pretty quiet kid. But in the water? He’s a completely different person.
“I love going to the pool in the summer. I love swimming,” he says. “Being in the water just feels really good.”
Roman loves the water so much, he’s even helping his youngest sister learn how to swim this summer. All that swimming and playing means Roman needs a lot of fuel to stay active — and that means consistent, healthy meals.
“Being full gives me the energy to play,” Roman says.
But sometimes, accessing those nourishing meals can be tough. His mom, Lena, is a full-time student working to earn her degree in social services. His dad is on disability but takes odd jobs here and there to help support the family. Their budget doesn’t always have room for enough healthy food.
During the school year, Roman and his siblings eat breakfast and lunch at school. But during the summer, Roman’s parents are grateful they can turn to their local pantry for the food they need to feed their family.
“The food pantry helps us out during the summer,” Lena says. “It helps provide meals for me and my children. The kids need nutritious, healthy food to play.”
Thanks to the meals you help provide, Lena can focus more on her studies. And her children can focus on just being kids!