By David Stier • Posted August 5, 2024

“What does love look like? It has hands to help others. It has feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want.” These words of Saint Augustine recently carried a particular meaning for me regarding the mission of Nutritional Development Services (NDS), an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

I suspect that everyone has experienced those moments where circumstances create an opportunity to truly “know what you know.” Our minds already know certain facts, but then the heart “sees” a fuller reality and truly illuminates them. We are enlivened. I had one of those experiences at the Summer Meals Kickoff event on June 18 at one of the City of Philadelphia’s recreation centers.

But before I mention what happened, let me explain a little about the Summer Meals Program. It is a federally funded initiative designed to provide children suffering from food insecurity with continued access to meals they are offered during the school year. NDS and other sponsors are responsible for the significant legwork of putting together and delivering ready-to-eat meals.

The success of this program depends upon the many community partners and good citizens who distribute the food to our precious young ones. Unfortunately the number of Summer Meals sites dropped significantly after COVID, and the numbers have not fully recovered. This scenario leaves some children hungry.

While attending this year’s kickoff event, sponsored by the City of Philadelphia, I was aware of the gap in the number of Summer Meals sites that was leaving some kids hungry.  The kickoff helped to address the problem. It was a positive, feel-good event that was raising awareness of this great program, highlighting its value to the communities it serves, and the many partners making it happen.

The recreation center hosting the event also functions as a Summer Meals feeding site throughout the summer, so breakfasts and lunches were available for the children who came that day. But after seeing one youth, my good feelings were unexpectedly bombarded by shock and sadness. I was given the opportunity to link my mind and heart, and to have the clearer vision referenced by Saint Augustine.

My feelings were largely a consequence of knowing that this youth was there by accident. He had not known that food was available through the Summer Meals Program, and he would have gone hungry that day if he had not stumbled upon the event by chance.

The innocence of this polite, gentle youth stood out like a pulsating star when juxtaposed with the harsh reality of what it must feel like to be hungry. (I found out later that he had grown anxious when he could not initially locate the specific location of the food service area).

For me, his presence highlighted the violent and unjust dimensions of hunger. I wondered, “How many children wouldn’t find food today? How could society allow innocents like this boy to be caught up?” My damp eyes caught a glimpse of the “misery and want” referenced by Saint Augustine. I would like my eyes to see more clearly all the time — to see more like God sees.

While this season of Summer Meals is already heading into its final weeks, NDS would still love to hear from you if you know of a place that might be able to host a Summer Meals site, perhaps next year, so that we can prevent more children from going hungry.  You can contact us at info@ndsarch.org.

Or if you want to support food cupboards that are supplied by the NDS Community Foods Program, your contribution will also make a positive difference for children, elderly, and families.

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David Stier is the Assistant Director of Community Relations for Nutritional Development Services, an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.