HAZLETON, Pa. — The Hazleton Integration Project is fighting childhood hunger through the Dinner for Kids Program, an extension of a program founded by the former owners of Ollie's Restaurant in Edwardsville.
Debbie Mills, HIP's Eradicating Food Insecurity Program Manager, says this has even impacted children's school performance.
"All of the kids receive free and reduced lunch from the school district, so now, six days a week, they're also receiving dinner. all of our staff here are volunteers with the exception of one who is our head chef, but everybody else, the packing, the distributing, all of that is volunteer," said Dr. Debbie Mills, Eradicating Food Insecurity Program Manager.
Some kids can receive meals whether they are enrolled in school or not.
"So we'll have a family that may have one child in preschool, and then they have other children, so we could have five meals total going to that home, so 10 meals total going to one home," said Dr. Mills.
The program took flight after HIP received a $1.2 million federal grant. It's maintained itself with the help of volunteers and donations from other local restaurants and organizations in Luzerne County.
Head Chef Maritza Ramos Lopez has been working with the program since June of last year.
Lopez says they always consider the health and care of children, and in this way, they work as a team to give their best because when they work to give their best, the children also feel their best.
The program prepares two meals for each child to take home so that they are sure to receive all of the recommended food groups. This meal served rice and pork as well as pasta with vegetables and fresh fruit.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the Hazleton One Community Center, hundreds of kids are given warm meals to take home.