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 families in the Central Rappahannock River Region 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.
I know that with your dedication to our mission and your compassion toward your neighbors, we can bridge this gap. Your generosity makes all the difference.
I hope you enjoy this edition of Food Matters and can see the lasting impact your past gifts have made. Your support truly matters to the families we serve.
As we prepare for the back-to-school season, please consider making another gift today. Every $1 you give helps provide 2 meals. Help us give every child a strong, healthy start to the new school year.
Thank you,
Dan Maher
President and CEO
Your Support Is Bringing Jalissa a Brighter Summer
Summertime brings so much fun for children in the Central Rappahannock River Region. But for many families, summer also brings the stress of providing extra meals while kids are no longer eating breakfast and lunch at school. Thankfully, friends like you are stepping up to the plate.
Because of your compassion, children who are facing hunger 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.”
Jalissa can access lunch every day during the week this summer, which means when she returns to school in the fall, she’ll be nourished and ready to learn. Thanks to you, Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank can help 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.
Jalissa’s story is representative of the people we serve.
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Nyx, a single mother of two daughters — Lydia, 13, and Eisley, 11 — is known to her loved ones as “Mama Bear.”
“I’m fiercely protective of my children,” she says. “I’m proud to be called their mom, and I just couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Nyx worked as a firefighter for years, but after a series of medical complications arose after the birth of her first daughter, her ability to work became limited. As a result, she navigates life on less than $1,200 per month.
With disability income stretched thin, Nyx relies on her local food pantry and community programs to keep her daughters fed and nourished. She’s grateful that meals are provided at school during the school year, but summer brings added challenges.
“I visit a food pantry nearby to make sure that we’re able to get the fresh fruits and vegetables so the kids can have what they need to grow and continue to thrive in life,” she says.
Summer meal programs at the girls’ school, through a partnership with their local food bank, also help fill that gap. Children like Lydia and Eisley can enjoy a healthy, reliable meal each day during summer break.
“The summer meals program provides a great peace of mind,” Nyx says. “I know my kids are going to eat healthy food, get a healthy meal, and it’s going to be a safe meal for them.”
Your generosity makes that possible. Thank you for helping to ensure families like Nyx’s have one less thing to worry about this summer.
Nyx’s story is representative of the people we serve.
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!
Roman’s story is representative of the people we serve.
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