Foundation delivers breakfast, lunch to local children

On Tuesday, May 26, for the ninth week in a row, the Pottstown Area Children’s Foundation delivered breakfasts to the Rolling Hills apartment complex. They are for children who have fallen through the cracks of the school meal program because of the pandemic.

So far, the foundation has donated 1,045 breakfasts, which include milk, juice, muffins or breakfast bars, oranges, apples and clementines. The cost varies by the week, but the average is about $4.32 per breakfast.

We aim to deliver five more batches of breakfasts, which will keep the children fed until a Montgomery County Intermediate Unit summer program begins on July 2.

Meanwhile, the need continues to grow. The previous Wednesday, May 20 we started bringing lunches to the Rolling Hills children. First, it was hot dogs. This week, it was turkey burgers. We aim to continue for the next four weeks, through June 24.

When I think of all the volunteers from so many walks of life who have made this possible, I can only conclude that Pottstown truly has some good people living here.

Among them, Bob Bauers and Johnny Corson of the NAACP have done most of the shopping. Bishop Michael and Pastor Linda Anthony of the Heart of God Family Worship Center have donated cereal. Sally Kolb of Kolb’s Farm Store in Spring City helped us out with the milk.

Josh Park, pastor of the Branch Life Church, is coordinating the lunch deliveries. Without my even asking, my bosses at Nino’s Pizzarama in Linfield offered to cook. Jim Witten at the nearby Railroad Street Bar and Grill has offered to help. Volunteers from the House of

Beauty by Genevieve just down the road help bag the lunches. Linfield may be a small community, but its businesses care in a big way.

The Foundation just sent out 30 thank-you notes to people who contributed money. One check came with an especially poignant letter. It was from a woman who said she used to live at Rolling Hills, so she knew what it was like to be in need. But now she’s out on her own, she said, and she wanted to give back. I read that letter at least once a day and it brings tears to my eyes.

So how is it that recently, when I was in a store, I saw a man walk up to the salesclerk, rip off his mask and demand, “I want to be waited on NOW.” How do you compare that to the many acts of kindness from other people, and unstinting service from our police, our first responders and our nurses? We should support them and help them. I wish everyone would follow the rules so we can get our businesses open.

As the Foundation continues to try to help children during the current pandemic, we are also looking ahead to our annual Christmas party for children on Dec. 12 and the food box giveaway on Dec. 18.

We could not do any of this without the help of the wonderful community in which we live. In spite of the tragedy of the current pandemic, my heart is full.

—Jim Frymoyer

President, Pottstown Area Children’s Foundation

724 N. Adams St., Suite G02

Pottstown, PA 19464