Community Picnic & Backpack Giveaway Unites Local Community

RED BANK, NJ — Families, community partners, volunteers and more came together on August 15 for Lunch Break's Annual Community Picnic & Backpack Giveaway.

Set at Count Basie Fields, the annual event has become a summer tradition for Lunch Break families and aims to unite the community while ensuring local kids and families have access to resources and support as they prepare for the new school year.

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The event was made even more meaningful by the support of the NJ State Assembly, the NJ State Senate and Assemblywomen Luanne Peterpaul and Margie Donlon and Senator Vin Gopal, officials said, who recognized the picnic with a resolution highlighting the event as a valuable contribution to the community.

"We are so grateful to our elected officials for recognizing the importance of this event and the impact it has on the families we serve," said Gwendolyn O. Love, President & CEO of Lunch Break. "For me, one of the most beautiful parts of this day is seeing families simply enjoying themselves, laughing, playing, eating together and making memories.

"For some of the families we serve, a day like this during the summer may be something they otherwise would never have access to," Love continued. "To be able to create a space where children can just be children and families can enjoy a day together, surrounded by people who care about them, means more to me than words can express."

A highlight of the picnic was the annual softball tournament, which brought together six teams representing local businesses and organizations: New Jersey Natural Gas, HABcore, Collateral
Damage, Morgan Stanley, the DC Sliders and the Lunch Breakers.

After a day of competition, NJ Natural Gas took home the championship trophy, defeating the Lunch Breakers in the finals.

"Every year, we are so grateful to the teams who come out and support Lunch Break again and again," said Millie Jeter, Director of Administration at Lunch Break and one of the two organizers of the picnic, alongside Gina Vastola. "Their commitment, their energy and their willingness to spend the day with us means so much."

"We may not have taken home the trophy this year, but we're getting better!" Jeter continued. "We'll be back next year ready to play and hopefully bring that championship trophy home to Lunch Break."

In addition to the annual softball tournament, the picnic also featured Lunch Break's Backpack Giveaway, which aims to help local children get ready for the upcoming school year with new backpacks and supplies.

The event offered families an opportunity to connect with Lunch Break staff and volunteers as well as multiple community organizations that provide services throughout Monmouth
County and beyond.

"Community connection is at the heart of everything we do," said Shani Love, Program Manager at Lunch Break. "It is so important for people to know that they are not alone and that there are trusted organizations ready to help."

"We may not offer every service that someone who walks through our doors needs, but we want to be able to connect them with a community partner who does," Love continued. "Having so many of our partners here in one place allows us to strengthen those connections and ensures that the people we serve have access to a broader network of support."

The annual picnic and giveaway aims to reflect what Lunch Break believes community should be, officials said: people coming together to support one another, share resources, celebrate accomplishments and create opportunities for families to thrive.

"I had such a wonderful time at this year's picnic," said Robin L. Klein, President of Lunch Break's Board of Trustees. "It was so much fun cheering on our softball players, meeting members of our community and wishing our children well as they head into a new school year."

"I especially enjoyed connecting with so many of our incredible community partners," Klein continued. "Events like this remind us of the strength of our community and how much we can accomplish when we come together to support one another."

To learn more, you can visit the Lunch Break website.