Lunches of Love Service Project

4th Graders Party Produces 50 Lunches of Love

Posted on December 14, 2012

Some 4th Graders decided to have a Lunches of Love Party and produced 50 Lunches of Love!

Delivering the Lunches of Love: A Firsthand Account

Posted on March 5, 2010

Along with three Fifth Grade Girls, I had the honor of delivering the Lunches of Love to the men at the St. Martin de Porres Shelter on Friday. As we bounced along in our sandwich mobile (so named because my SUV was bursting with lunches) down 1st Avenue, we were all very excited about getting to actually see where our donations have been going!!

They welcomed us as we arrived with smiles and carts to haul in the lunches and toiletries that we were delivering. I asked if they had a preference on what type of sandwiches they received and I was told that 60% of the men have jobs and they get up at 5 am to go to work. If the men were working outside, they will ask for a PBJ sandwich. Those who were working at a jobsite with a refrigerator prefer meat sandwiches, so all types of sandwiches are welcome. After the sandwiches were all put into a refrigerator and the toiletries were being separated, our tour of the shelter began.

This shelter for homeless men 50 years and older was started in 1984. At that time, there were no facilities of this type to handle this need. The first thing we commented on was how bright and clean this shelter was. There is a kitchen, chapel, library, a shelter laundry that washes the blankets as well as a laundry room with machines that charge 25 cents per load that the men can use to wash their personal belongings any time. The have 212 men who sleep here on floor mats every night. 55% of the shelter’s budget comes from donations. The rest comes from various state, Federal, city grants, etc.

I asked if there was anything that they really needed or could use. The director stated that they always need underwear, socks, reading glasses or any used prescription glasses, books and magazines for their library. I hope that this will encourage anyone who hasn’t had the opportunity to deliver the Lunches of Love to St. Martin de Porres to please do it!! What a great service this is for our fellow citizens and what a wonderful life-learning experience for our children!