All night long, Rivka dreams of empty rows.
In her sleep, she sees a row of children emerging from their rooms and heading toward the kitchen. On the table is a long row of lunch bags. But in the dream, the children have no faces, and the bags—every single one of them—are empty.
In the morning, the dream becomes a haunting reality. Her eight children wake up for another day of school, and as Rivka gets busy in the kitchen, the truth hits her with a sinking weight: she has only a few dry ends of bread left in the freezer. Her meager paycheck is delayed once again, and her kids are hungry. Their needs are constant and don’t wait for the paycheck to arrive. They need a healthful meal to nourish them throughout another long day of school.
Breakfast and a wholesome lunch are the foundations of a child’s success. At Meirim Lachaim, we ensure that no child walks into class feeling the sting of an empty stomach or the shame of a bare lunchbox. Our volunteers pack fresh, nutritious sandwiches for children from families in crisis, so every child can come to school with a healthy meal that gives them the focus to learn and strength to thrive.