Many to thank for helping feed our community’s children
I’m realizing more each day how serious the coronavirus is. Even people who are not sickened have lost their jobs. They are unable to pay their bills or even buy food.
But so many good things are happening, too. Members of the Pottstown Area Children’s Foundation have been working to get several weeks of breakfasts for children at the Rolling Hills Apartments. Officials always say there is enough food, but whenever a crisis hits, it’s clear we don’t have enough.
I was stunned the other day to pick up The Mercury and learn that a local dairy dumped thousands of gallons of milk down the drain. I don’t know why the dairy couldn’t just box it up and give it away. Or sell it to us. For three weeks, I had been having pretty much no luck trying to purchase milk in cartons for the kids at Rolling Hills, and then I pick up the paper and see that? These children need our support. And to throw that much away is just crazy.
On Wednesday, in the small town of Linfield, the PAC Foundation teamed up with Nino’s Pizzarama to make up 240 lunch bags. State Rep. Joe Ciresi and his chief of staff, Alex Teplyakov, helped. We delivered them to children at the Bright Hope Community.
On another recent day, Mike McCloskey, the owner of Linfield’s Railroad Street Bar and Grill, gave out 1,000 servings of their signature mac and cheese to the surrounding community.
These are just two businesses in a small community, but they are reaching out and helping the best they can. They are doing the right thing. With this pandemic, it will take so much more.
Many people have donated time and/or money to the PAC Foundation effort. They include Josh Park of Branch Life Church; NAACP members Bob and Sandy Bauers and President Johnny Corson; the Montgomery Elks, Nino’s. The Pottstown Police donated $500, which will go a very long way toward feeding our community’s children. We are a 501c3 entity. Anyone who wants to make a donation — or anyone who needs help — can contact me at 484-363-0638. Please make checks out to the “Pottstown Area Children’s Foundation” and send them to me at 60 Moser Rd., Apt. 7, Pottstown, PA 19464.
Please support your local businesses so that they may survive through this rough time. We have a lot of good people in these businesses, and we need to take care of them. And support our people on the front lines — our nurses, paramedics, physicians, police officers. They are always giving their service in times of need.
Most of all, protect your family. Protect your children. I’m a grandfather of nine, and they mean the world to me. Please say a prayer every night to help our children and our community get stronger.
God bless you.