News
For the fifth consecutive year, St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) is providing free lunches through its Summer Meals Program in Allentown and Quakertown, making sure no child is without access to nutritious meals during the summer months.
St. Luke's is partnering with Catholic Charities to serve the Allentown community, and Free Fall Action Sports to serve the Quakertown community.
The Summer Meals Program at St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus runs June 12 to August 25, Monday through Friday, from Noon to 2:00 p.m. except on the July 4th holiday. Lunches will be distributed at 317 N. 4th Street, Allentown at the Hearts in Service (H.I.S.) Center, across the street from the hospital. Every Thursday, fresh produce will also be available for children to share with their families, and on Fridays they will be given bags full of non-perishable food to take home for the weekends.
In response to the growing need, West Side Hammer Electric has increased their gift to $12,500 to expand and enhance this initiative in the Allentown area. Luke Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer and Former St. Luke’s Allentown Campus Board Member, continues to lead by example with his dedication to service and social responsibility. His team is equally committed to making an impact in the communities where they live and work.
West Side Hammer Electric President, Andrew Lawler says, “We applaud St. Luke’s for their leadership, commitment and continued service to those in need. West Side Hammer Electric is grateful for the opportunity to support this program and we are proud to once again partner with St. Luke’s to deliver healthy lunches and hope to the children and families of Allentown.”
The St. Luke’s Quakertown Campus Summer Meals Program will also run June 12 to August 25, Monday through Friday, from Noon to 2:00 p.m. except on the July 4th holiday. Lunches will be distributed at Free Fall Action Sports Energy Center, 670 S. Main Street, Quakertown. This site will also be providing fresh produce for children to share with their families every Thursday, and children will receive a bag full of non-perishable food to take home to their families for the weekends each Friday.
St. Luke’s is also supporting the Summer Meals Program in the Upper Perkiomen School District provided by The Open Link with weekly CSA (community-supported agriculture) shares from June 20 to August 18.
Penn Community Bank has invested in the Quakertown Summer Meals program for the fourth consecutive year. Their $12,000 contribution supports a partnership to oversee the program, ensuring children have access to a wider variety of healthy meal options, weekly CSA shares, nourishment over the weekends, financial literacy education, and other engaging activities.
“At Penn Community Bank, we believe in the power of community and serving the greater good. That means partnering with local organizations making a difference, including St. Luke’s,” said Jeane M. Vidoni, President and CEO of Penn Community Bank. “We are proud to once again support the summer meals program in the Quakertown community and work to ensure food insecure kids in our community have access to healthy meals all year.”
The Summer Meals program was created in response to the Network’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which showed that these two locations are in the catchment areas of school districts where over 50 percent of students are eligible for free and reduced meals during the academic year.
St. Luke’s Community Health’s mission is to create pathways for equity toward measurable health outcomes through advocacy, access, and navigation of resources for partners and underserved communities. Thanks to the generosity of these two notable organizations – West Side Hammer Electric and Penn Community Bank – more children have access to food and other vital resources they need and deserve.
About Penn Community Bank
About Penn Community Bank: Penn Community Bank holds more than $2.6 billion in assets, employs more than 300 people, and offers banking, lending, and investments at 20+ bank branches and three administrative centers throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties, Pennsylvania. As an independent, mutual financial institution, Penn Community Bank is not publicly traded and operates with its long-term mission in mind: to help businesses grow and prosper, to provide financial resources to individuals and families throughout their lifetimes, to strengthen the local economy, and to partner with local organizations to act as a catalyst for positive growth in every market it serves.
About West Side Hammer Electric
West Side Hammer is a full service electrical contracting company serving the eastern Pennsylvania region with expert staff, and fully trained, experienced, and equipped personnel. Their reputation is built upon integrity, service, and workmanship, instilled by the hard-knocks lessons from the earliest days of our founding four generations ago. West Side Hammer Electric is proud to serve the Lehigh Valley for over 85 years.
