Posted June 28, 2017

For the 11th consecutive year Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia held its annual “Blessing of the Summer” to kick off the Summer Meals Program, which runs June 19 to Aug. 25. Msgr. Daniel J. Sullivan, president of the NDS board, presided over the blessing at Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic School on Thursday, June 22.

Holy Redeemer will be one of over 400 summer meals sites partnering with NDS to provide healthy meals to children aged 18 years or younger, who will receive a box lunch and choice of breakfast or snack.  Last year the program provided 182,400 breakfasts, 174,800 snacks, as well as a combined 402,800 lunches. Most Philadelphia and many suburban neighborhoods qualify for the program. (Photos by Sarah Webb)

  • Lanson Chen is excited to see what was in the lunch box provided by NDS Summer Meals Program.

  • Kelly Jin creativly eats her lunch.

  • Henry Liu enjoys his meal at Holy Redeemer Camp.

  • Jason Qiu takes a bite of his sandwich that he received through NDS Summer Meals Program.

  • NDS Summer Meals Program, which is federally funded and operated nationally by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides meals for children at Holy Redeemer Summer Camp in the Chinatown section of Philadelphia.

  • Bella Wong and Simon Weng show off their Kindness Counts wristbands given to them by NDS.

  • Msgr. Daniel Sullivan checks out what the children are having for lunch after he blessed the Summer Meals Program at Holy Redeemer Camp.

  • Jaeden Chen, Jack Wong, and Lanson Chen enjoy lunch provided through the NDS Summer Meals Program.

  • Winnie Chen is happy to get her lunch provided through NDS Summer Meals Program.

  • Erita Ou says grace before her meal at Holy Redeemer Camp.

  • It’s like unwrapping a present for Jail Lou, at Holy Redeemer Camp, when he opens his lunchbox to find a sandwhich and fun snacks.