To the Editor:

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many new and unprecedented challenges for our entire country and our own Princeton community. Schools are closed through April 30 but likely longer, and possibly for the rest of the school year. For the 500 Princeton children on the Free and Reduced Lunch Program this has had a significant impact. For many of them, the food they receive at school is the only food they can rely on. The school district is helping fill the “weekday” food gap, but the Free and Reduced Program doesn’t provide weekend meals for the children of Princeton. Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPPrinceton) does!

In keeping with our mission, we have agreed to provide weekend meals for ALL of these 500 Princeton school children through the end of the school year if needed. We typically provide weekend meals for approximately 150 children in the four elementary schools, the Princeton Nursery School, and Princeton Charter School. We also support Princeton High School and John Witherspoon Middle School with snacks, and lunches to the Princeton Recreation Department camps during the summer.

We know that SHUPPrinceton has become the face of food insecurity help for children in our community and while we are prepared to shoulder that responsibility, we need your help to sustain this role. If you are able, we would greatly appreciate a donation in any amount to help us cover these additional costs. Donations can be made by going to SHUPPrinceton.org/COVID19. Thank you for your continued support.

The SHUPPrinceton Board