Helping Hungry Kids: Myron’s Meal Mobile Returns
The Mercer County Food Bank is excited to bring back "Myron’s Meal Mobile" for the fifth year in a row, starting June 9. This program is a lifesaver for many families during the summer when school lunches aren’t available.
According to Rebecca Page, the Executive Director of the Mercer County Food Bank, about 4,600 children in the county—around 22%—might not know where their next meal is coming from. That’s a huge concern, especially when summer rolls around and kids are out of school.
Myron’s Meal Mobile isn’t just any food truck. It’s a retrofitted school bus that delivers hot, healthy lunches to families in need. The bus travels around lower-income neighborhoods in Mercer County each day, making it easier for children to access nutritious meals.
Here’s the weekly schedule for Myron’s Meal Mobile:
- Mondays: Hillside Presbyterian Church, Greenville
- Tuesdays: Stoneboro Fire Department, Stoneboro
- Wednesdays: Mark Twain Manor, Jamestown
- Thursdays: Stey Nevant Library, Farrell
- Fridays: The Buhl Club, Sharon
The program will run for ten weeks, ending on August 15. In the past, they’ve served over 21,000 meals from the food bus and aim to serve 6,000 meals this summer.
Alexis Spence-Locke, the Development Director of the Mercer County Food Bank, said, "This is a great way for the food bank to give back to our community when school’s not in session."
Not only does this program address immediate food needs, but it also highlights a larger issue. A recent study found that childhood food insecurity affects millions of kids across the U.S. The USDA reports that nearly 14 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2021.
Initiatives like Myron’s Meal Mobile are crucial for fighting hunger in communities. By bringing meals directly to kids where they are, they ensure no child has to face summer hunger alone.
For updates on this community effort, you can check the Mercer County Food Bank website.