St. Luke’s lunch programs feed children in Allentown, Quakertown

The 5-year-old boy and his mother arrived just after noon at St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Hospital, where the youngster was served a lunch of a ham and cheese sandwich, apple sauce, sliced cucumbers and a carton of milk.

Neighbors from nearby, they were there as part of the Summer Meals Program, a new St. Luke’s University Health Network initiative taking place in Allentown and Quakertown. Children and teenagers 18 and younger can visit the downtown campus from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday for a free healthy meal.

The program was launched in response to St. Luke’s 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The CHNA revealed that more than 75 percent of students who live within a one-mile radius from the Sacred Heart campus in Allentown are eligible for reduced-cost or free lunches during the school year. When school lets out, these children are at risk of going hungry during the summer.

The Summer Meals Program at St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus runs through Aug. 30.

A similar program is offered at St. Luke’s Quakertown Campus. Penn Community Bank made a gift to support program enhancements. Earlier this month, Penn Community Bank representatives presented a check for $15,162.