GOT LUNCH! Laconia has so many to thank!
With all the crazy things going on in this world, the people of Laconia can be proud of the way this community works together, cares about one another and makes things happen.
Six years ago this community had about 67 percent of the children who qualified for free and reduced lunches during the school year going without nutritious food during the summer months. In that first year, with the amazing support of the Children’s Auction, Kiwanis and the Laconia Rotary, somehow the vision of a small group of people came together and more than 300 children were given healthy food to eat for the summer.
This is the sixth year of a program that has helped many children and families. This year, more than 540 children, 266 families, are receiving healthy groceries each week because of the financial and time generosity of many.
Today, we want to say thank you to all those business and major donors who have made this program possible: Lakes Region Children’s Auction, The Bank of New Hampshire, and The Boston Red Sox Foundation. Without these organizations continued generous support our work would be much much harder.
Bank of NH this year gave us a $2,500 grant to help support the Dairy Voucher program. Lakes Region Children’s Auction, through the grant application process, gave us $35,000 for 2016. The Children’s Auction has been supporting the program since the very beginning, being critical in getting the program off the ground. This summer their grant will feed 290 children. The Boston Red Sox Foundation through a grant process donated $1,000 for the purchase of food for the program.
Of course these three organizations do not make the program happen. It’s the support of so many individuals and other organizations pulling together to make a difference.
Each week about 85 volunteers gather in the Congregational Church of Laconia church hall to pack and deliver healthy groceries to the 266 families in Laconia. All are welcome to be a part of this amazing community effort Monday mornings 8:15 to 9:15.
Thank you to all.
GOT LUNCH! Laconia
Advisory Board
Laconia