Newtown Quaker Kids to Host Lasagna Dinner Fundraiser

The young people at Newtown Quaker Meeting will host a Lasagna Dinner on Friday, April 7, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Quaker Meetinghouse, 219 Court Street, Newtown to raise funds for their “charity of choice” this year.

The dinner is open to the public and the children will accept contributions at the door for their charity rather than charge a fee.

Featured at the dinner will be “all kinds of lasagna” – meat, vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc – and a variety of desserts of pies, cookies, and brownies.

The charity selected by the young Quakers this year is the Pre-K Summer Program of Mercer Street Friends in Trenton, NJ – “a Quaker-affiliated, nonsectarian organization focused on hunger, poverty and access to educational opportunities.”

Previous recipients of the funds raised by the Quaker Kids’ Lasagna Dinner have been: Penndel Food Pantry, Haiti Relief, Save Darfur, Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, Heifer International, Philadelphia Friends Center Green Building Project, and Right Sharing of World Resources, a micro-loan program founded by world Quakers.

The young people set up the venue, collect the funds, serve the food, clean up after the dinner, and often raise in excess of $2,000 for their charity.

Joe Hulihan, MD, Mercer Street Friends Board Chair, Newtown resident, and member of Newtown Quaker meeting, said: “I am constantly amazed by the dedication of these young people. Because of their efforts, some deserving kids in Trenton are going to have a chance to learn this summer.”

Mercer Street Friends has an annual budget of just over $5 million and serves over 30,000 people a year throughout Mercer County.

The Quaker Kids Lasagna Dinner is supervised by members of the Children’s Religious Education Committee of Newtown Meeting, including Committee Clerk Sarah Buxton of Newtown, Eileen Grant of Newtown, and Dinner Coordinator, Lisa Li, West of Windsor, NJ.

Sarah Buxton said, “This is one of the most exciting events for our children. They find joy in serving and peace in knowing they are raising money for such a great cause."

Lisa Li added "Our children and teens have raised funds for Mercer Street Friends Summer Pre-School Program for the past 4 years. They are dedicated to helping ensure that young children in our area, regardless of family income, have access to an enriching academic program through the summer months."

Newtown Friends Meeting, co-founded by the Quaker artist and minister, Edward Hicks, in 1815, holds services every First Day (Sunday). During the school year, First Day classes for children and adults are at 9:45 a.m. and Meeting for Worship at 11:00 a.m. Professional childcare is provided. All meetings are open to the public and visitors are warmly welcomed.