To the Editor:

A little over a year ago we heard troubling news about some of the kids in our Public Schools. In Princeton, of all places, there are in excess of 450 children receiving free or reduced price lunches who were not always sure of their weekend meals. Studies show inadequate nutrition, both in quality and quantity, impede a child’s ability to learn and be successful. The social service sector calls this food insecurity
we call it unacceptable!

A group of concerned citizens came together to form the all volunteer Send Hunger Packing Princeton Initiative, or SHUPP. Working in partnership with the Princeton School Board, SHUPP teamed up with the well-regarded non-profit Mercer Street Friends to address this problem, and it was an extraordinarily successful launch.

We started out with the goal of providing supplementary weekend meals to eligible students from pre-k through the 5th grade. The end of the school year marked the delivery of over 5700 meal packs. Families opted in to this totally confidential program, and we were pleased to reach 88 percent of our target population.

To make this possible, the fundraising began with a lead gift from Princeton University, followed quickly by generous support from the Bonner Foundation and the Seminary. There was also a grass roots individual effort, with over 150 individuals stepping up and joining the effort.

Now a year later, we know there is so much more we can do. First, we need to keep doing what we are doing, but grow to reach 100 percent of eligible kids. Second, we would like to expand the program to the middle school grades 6 through 8, and, third, we’d like to add food for the school holidays.

SHUPP organizers are now underway in a second annual fund raising campaign, which will culminate with a Friend-Raiser” on September 14 at Community Park School. The event will be free and is featuring the Philadelphia based Celebrity Chef, Brian Duffy, owner of a number of restaurants and star of Bar Rescue.”Chef Duffy will be provided with some expected food left over in a typical refrigerator and challenged to make something affordable, nutritious. and, of course, tasty!

Please join us in support of this important initiative. Checks can be made out to “Mercer Street Friends” noting SHUPP on the memo line. All contributions are tax deductible, and because of underwriting, 100 percent of your support will go directly to the program. We thank the Princeton Community in advance for its generosity.

Ross Wishnick, Chair

Princeton Human Services Commission

Elisa Neira,

Executive Director, Princeton Human Services

Leticia Fraga Nadler, William Schofield, Andrea Spalla, Rucha Gadre, Edwina Hawes

Send Hunger Packing All Volunteer Team