Kids Cafe makes it possibleLinda Dayson has been a community advocate for many years. Three years ago she realized that kids in her neighborhood needed a safe place to be during the summer months, so she started Camp Restoration for Youth. Their motto is “No Youth or Family Left Behind.” The camp was an instant success and continues to flourish, serving 40 kids ages 0 – 18 and representing many different cultures every day during the summer.

Each day the children are immersed in different experiences that help to develop and educate them about making good choices for their lives. They meet and interact with police and fire personnel, are mentored by caring adults from different parts of the community and participate in age-appropriate curriculum that supplements what they are taught during the school year.

Most of the kids arrive at camp hungry because there is no food at home. Hot breakfast and lunch are served Monday through Friday, and, when available, they get snacks to take home with them at the end of the day. “Families are struggling to pay their bills already. So the added pressure of providing food for their kids during the summer puts some families over the top,” says Dayson. “Kids Cafe makes it possible for us to provide for them.”

Because of Lutheran Social Services’ Kids Cafe, summer camp kids are taught to make good choices about nutrition. Working with donated and

purchased foods, Kids Cafe develops nutritious menus that are distributed to participating sites.

“Our Kids Cafe program is giving special attention to providing fresh fruits and vegetables as a part of our 2011 program,” says Kelli Monroe, LSS program director. “Kids need fresh produce, and it’s the one thing that is especially hard for their parents to provide.”

“I don’t know how we would feed these children without Lutheran Social Services,” says Dayson. “We will see 50-60 extra kids at lunch time - kids from the neighborhood who know we have food and they don’t have any at home. We feed them and talk to them before they return to their homes. For many, this may be the only decent meal they get during the day.”

Feeding hungry kids during the summer:

heartBeatsLutheran SociaL ServiceS of northeaSt fLorida, inc. • 4615 PhiLiPS highway • JackSonviLLe, fL 32207

But what if you didn’t have ready access to fresh fruits and vegetables? What if the nearest grocery store was on the other side of town or not easily accessible by public transportation? What if your only source of food was highly processed, shelf-

stable goods and high caloric snacks at the corner convenience store or gas station? For thousands of families across the First Coast this is the case.

Hungry children cannot thrive. Yet millions of kids in America are at risk of going hungry. Hungry children are disadvantaged children. They can’t grow, develop and learn like other kids. They have trouble focusing and getting along. They complain often of headaches, stomachaches and other ailments. They fall behind in virtually every way.

Second Harvest North Florida, operated by Lutheran Social Services, has made access to fresh produce a priority in response to the significantly increased number of low-income, working families seeking help from our 400+ food pantries and feeding sites.

To better serve the demand, Second Harvest has created a solid network of sources for obtaining fresh fruits and vegetables – produce that would have been turned under by farmers or thrown out by grocery stores and food wholesalers. With continued support from donors and our suppliers, our goal of getting fresh food to kids this summer will become a reality.

Fine food and spirits will abound – along with a festive battle for best culinary presentation – when more than 50 of the First Coast’s finest restaurants, caterers and beverage wholesalers compete in the 21st Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT™.

How Second Harvest North Florida will use your contribution:

• Every $1 donated provides 7 meals for people in need.• Every $100 donated provides a weekly backpack full of nutritious food

to feed a child on weekends, when food might not be available at home.• $100,000 raised at the FOODFIGHT would mean an additional

700,000 meals reaching struggling families in our community.

getting Fresh Food to kids this summer

presents

Order tickets by phone at 904.739.7074 or online at www.jacksonvillefoodfight.org. See you there!

Every parent knows that when kids are out of school, the refrigerator gets cleaned out regularly. Busy summers mean kids are grabbing what they can on their way out the door. Friends stop by for a snack. Kids sleep over. All parents want their children eating healthy.

Join us on Thursday, June 96:30 pm to 9:00 pm (VIP reception begins at 6:00)at EverBank Field Touchdown Club East All proceeds benefit Second Harvest North Florida