The True Meaning of "Summer Love".

"Why don't we feed children over the summer?" It was a question I asked our board when I first became the ED for the organization.

At the time, we were feeding over 3,000 every Friday during the school year-so I understood that we had plenty to keep us busy.

Still....

"We would love to," came the answer. "But the schools are closed. How do we find the kids?"

Cut to: Allen County Public Library partnering to give us 8 locations throughout the city to feed children, every Friday during the summer months. There were numerous "during the week" feeding programs, but weekend feeding programs in summertime were scarce. We weren't even sure how to predict what this number might be.

So we guessed, taking the average summer library SPARK program attendance as a trajectory. "Maybe increase it...10?" they guessed.

We increased it 30%.

"Oof, might have a lot of leftovers...." was the worry.

It needn't have been.

Within two hours of drop off, every location was out of supplemental bags. And it continued that way, every Friday, until school was back in session.

By the end of summer, 5,800 children had been fed. We realized we had a huge need to fill for this year. With requests equal to capacity, we decided to double that number to 11,000 children for the second year's Summer Feeding Program.

A lofty goal.

And then.....the world shook a little. Funding for summer feeding programs began to take hits, and budgetary cuts came down the line. Several nonprofits were facing fiscal cuts in such a way that they feared merely keeping the doors open, let alone adding additional capacity.

We began to worry here, too.

"We have to keep going," we decided. "If everyone else is cutting, it's imperative that we double. It's needed now more than ever. We just have to have faith that the funding will follow the need."

And then I silently stewed in anxiety as the summer months approached. As the hits continued to come and the mandates began to tighten, I turned to my friend Christen in a moment of weakness. Christen is a pastor and one of the most committed women I'd ever met when it came to doing the work of faith, not just speaking it. So I unloaded my fears.

"There are thousands of hungry kids, and the funding situation is so scary, and so many nonprofits need help, and no one will eat over the summer, and what do I do? Why did I double our capacity in the midst of the madness??"

I was looking for a place to vent, knowing the problem was so big that the solution couldn't come from one person.

I was wrong.

Christen and her dad met me for coffee a few days later, with a plan to reach out to the hearts of the community to feed the thousands. We were fortunate that Health First of Allen County was continuing their base for funding, so we had a starting point. But we still had a long way to go to feed 11,000.

Christen's congregation at Peace UCC warmly welcomed us through their kindness and generosity.

Checks began to arrive.

Trinity English Church emailed: "We heard Christen's call to action," they said. "How can we help?" The good people filling their pews collected over $6,000 for hungry children in Fort Wayne.

The Surack Family Foundation granted us funds, as well as the Fire Police City County Credit Union. The Executive Director of the Allen County Public Library sent a hefty check, in the midst of what I know must be their own funding challenges that all libraries encounter.

Lisa and Peter Sorg spread the word with their company Park Plastic Products, and sponsored our golf outing to boot.

Checks began arriving, countless with notes attached to five or ten dollar bills reading, "wish we could do more, hope this helps a little."

The "little bits" equal big impacts. They always do.

Do it Best Foundation then sent the news; our summer funding request was approved, and the remaining balance would be paid.

Our summer program is covering not only our anticipated double capacity, but also some partner agencies that we have been able to provide thanks to the amazing generosity of so many who were moved by the love for the community.

And that love was fueled by the determination of one woman.

That woman isn't me.

It was my dear friend who never waivered at the enormous task ahead, but simply said, "the children need fed," and reached out her hands to those who reached out their hands; ..until every hand was feeding a child.

I find that I learn more every day in both my professional and personal life, and how blessed I am to be not only in a mission with an extraordinary impact, but to be surrounded by people who make it their own mission to inspire others to be the best version of themselves. The leaders of our community. And the examples for humanity.

The summer of love is upon us, and what a beautiful season it is.