To the Editor:

Now in its sixth year, Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPP) held its first adult fundraiser at The Johnson Education Center in Princeton. SHUPP was started with its primary mission to provide weekend meals to school children in Princeton.  The concept was to, in part, supplement the meals some children receive at school Monday through Friday. SHUPP’s motto is “Because a child should hunger for knowledge, not breakfast.”  Today, SHUPP has grown to include other programs such as providing snacks to school counselors  to give out as needed,  funding lunches at summer programs such as Princeton Recreation Camp and the Pre K Jumpstart program at Johnson Park School, as well as a number of other programs as the need becomes evident.

Food is a high priority, especially food for children, and the Princeton community responds to this need year after year and this commitment was clear at the sold-out fundraiser. The evening consisted of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres  followed by an inspirational speech by Breana Newton, a SHUPP board member and Princeton native who spoke of the mostly undetected challenge of food insecurity that existed during her childhood.  It was followed by a video tribute to honoree Ross Wishnick, Princeton Human Services chair and founder of SHUPP. Ross spoke of the 2012 origins of SHUPP, their partnership with Mercer Street Friends, and their reaching a new milestone this past year, being granted their own 501(c)3 non-profit status by the IRS.

Through the generosity of the Princeton community, over $20,000 was raised. This amount will provide meals for 60 Princeton children for an entire school year.  SHUPP currently provides meals for 170 children, which represents about one-third of all kids who could benefit from the program.

Thank you to the generosity of the Princeton community who have sustained this program for six years.  The SHUPP Board looks forward to further collaboration in the years to come.

Wendy Vasquez
Audubon Lane