Lunch Equity Project

05/10/2022

The Lunch Equity Project fundraising efforts will conclude with the end of the school year. Thank you to all donors for your generous contribution.

If possible, parents, donate what you are saving on free school lunches to the Lunch Equity Project. All proceeds are tax deductible and are collected by the Needham Community Council to help sustain healthy meals for families who depend on the local food pantry to put food on the table.

03/23/2022

Want to have a direct impact in your community?
Donate to the Lunch Equity Project.

The Lunch Equity Project has raised $4,747. Thanks to generous donors, we are only $253 short of reaching our campaign goal for this quarter. Can we make it? Not without the community's support.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.
100% of your contribution to the Lunch Equity Project will sustain food donation efforts by the Needham Community Council and The Needham Community Farm, Inc., which provide fresh produce and staples to 183 children and their families enrolled in the Needham Community Council Food Pantry.

Keep it local. Donate today.
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NeedhamCommunityCouncil/lunchequity.html

03/03/2022

Hunger is closer than you think.

Though many of us may not realize the grave disparities that exist in our own communities, people face hunger in every county and congressional district in Massachusetts. People facing hunger are our neighbors, children in our kids' classroom, elderly people living on limited income.

Inflation? Rising utility and gas prices? Medical bills? Unexpected loss of a loved one? There are many factors why families in Needham have turned to the local food pantry to help put food on the table.

Want to have a direct impact in your community? Donate to the Lunch Equity Project. 100% of your donation will help the Needham Community Council and The Needham Community Farm, Inc. sustain meals to the 182 children currently registered in the Needham food pantry.

Keep it local. Donate today.
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NeedhamCommunityCouncil/lunchequity.html

02/09/2022

How much has your family saved from the government-funded free school lunch program?

At $14/week for an elementary school child, that’s a savings of over $50 per month per child!

Can you step up this month and make a donation?
Whether you donate a week, a month, or year of lunch savings, every dollar you give will be collected by the Needham Community Council and split evenly between the Needham Food Pantry and The Needham Community Farm, Inc. to help sustain meals to the 182 children currently registered in the local food pantry.

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!
www.lunchequityproject.com

02/07/2022

Parents, did you know at least one child in your kid’s class goes to school hungry? The number of children enrolled in the Needham Food Pantry has almost doubled since the start of the pandemic.

In Needham, we have a history of helping our neighbors, especially during hardship. This month show your love and support for your neighbors by 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 to the Lunch Equity Project.

If possible, donate what you are saving on the free, government-funded school lunches. 100% of proceeds are collected by the Needham Community Council and evenly split between the Needham Food Pantry and The Needham Community Farm, Inc. to help sustain meals for neighbors who need it most.

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NeedhamCommunityCouncil/lunchequity.html

01/29/2022

Simple acts of kindness are not simple in their impact. Acts of kindness are the strength and fortitude that carry us forward while striving to be a beacon of light during the storm.

To neighbors who echo these sentiments of kindness by donating to the Lunch Equity Project, Thank You! Acts of kindness keep the heart warm. Parents, let's shine some warmth on neighbors who need it most. Donate what you are saving on free school lunches to the Lunch Equity Project.

https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NeedhamCommunityCouncil/lunchequity.html

01/19/2022

If your child is benefiting from free school lunches but your family doesn’t need the extra help, 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲?

In Needham, we as a community have the funds to feed every child in need! With 182 children currently enrolled in the Needham Food Pantry, there has never been a better time to give. Needham parents, let's 𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱!

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆:

https://www.lunchequityproject.com/

01/15/2022

Thanks to generous donations, the Lunch Equity Project raised $1,000 last week. These donations help sustain meals for the 180 children currently registered in the Needham Food Pantry.

Parents, can you help us reach our 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 of $𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 by donating what you are saving on your kids' free school lunches?

January donors will receive an 𝟴𝘅𝟭𝟬 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝘿𝙖𝙮 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 (below), compliments of a Needham resident.
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 on the Needham Community Council / Lunch Equity Project link:
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NeedhamCommunityCouncil/lunchequity.html

Contrary to what we’ve always been told, there IS such a thing as a free lunch in Needham. Our kids have been getting them since last March, paid for by federal and state funds. While some of us may not need this extra help, there are those in our community who are struggling to put food on their ...

01/08/2022

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝟴𝟮 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆.

At a time when many families in Needham continue to face financial strain, the Lunch Equity Project came back to resume its partnership with the Needham Community Council and The Needham Community Farm, Inc. to help raise funds to feed the 82 families currently registered in the local Food Pantry.

𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆: $𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬

Since the federal funding for free school lunches was extended through the 2021-2022 school year, Needham Public Schools continue to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of need. While some of us may not need this extra help, there are neighbors in our community who are struggling to put food on their table each and every day.

𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 $𝟯𝟯𝟱 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿.

Parents, if you are able, feed it forward by donating money you are saving on school lunches to the Lunch Equity Project. Just like last year, proceeds raised by the Lunch Equity Project are collected by the Needham Community Council and split evenly across the Needham Community Council Food Pantry and The Needham Community Farm, Inc. Both organizations provide fresh produce and sustaining staples safely and respectfully to our food insecure neighbors.

$𝟯𝟯𝟲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀.

$14, $57, $342, $684 -- every dollar helps.
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!
https://www.lunchequityproject.com/

06/18/2021

Today is the last day of school and the symbolic last day of the Lunch Equity Project (although we will continue collecting donations until the end of June). This community has raised $23,000 for our hungry neighbors, who too often are invisible in affluent communities like ours. But you have seen their need and generously given what you could. That's equity in action! Please help us raise the final $2,000 to reach our goal.

Thank you to everyone who gave your time and encouragement to the Lunch Equity Project, those who forwarded emails and posted announcements in newsletters about it, liked posts and wrote them, designed our website and created news segments, and to those who gave from your bank accounts. The story of Lunch Equity Project is a Needham story about how to acknowledge privilege and balance out the scales where we can. I'm grateful for your partnership!

Six months ago, Lunch Equity Project was born from the fierce hearts and collective intellect of Mas Siel, Emily Touchet, Liz Dempsey Lee, and Jenn Scheck-Kahn, with marketing and design muscle from Hilary Hanson Bruel, Doug Fox, Laura Quinlan, and Adrienne Mathias, and of course in partnership with the Needham Community Council and The Needham Community Farm, Inc.

06/17/2021

On Monday, the Lunch Equity Project raised $2,500! Among contributions, there was one generous donation of $1,000 and 2 donations from Needham friends and family in Astoria, NY.

Thanks to donors, we are only $2,000 short of reaching our campaign goal. Can we make it? Not without the community's support.

100% of your contribution to the Lunch Equity Project will sustain food donation efforts by the Needham Community Council and The Needham Community Farm, Inc., which provide fresh produce and staples to 191 children and their families enrolled in the Needham Community Council Food Pantry.

The Lunch Equity Project fundraising campaign ends this month.
Donate today:
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NeedhamCommunityCouncil/lunchequity.html

06/15/2021

Did you know, despite receiving federally-funded, free school lunches, there are 191 children enrolled in the Needham Community Council Food Pantry?

As the school year ends so will the Lunch Equity Project fundraising campaign. Your contribution this month will feed children over the summer, a time that is hardest for families who rely on school lunches for sustenance.

Every dollar counts. Donate Today:
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NeedhamCommunityCouncil/lunchequity.html

* The Needham Community Farm, Inc. * Needham Community Council * Lunch Equity Project