Operation Food Search and the St. Louis Area Foodbank are joining forces to host a family-friendly first Spring Break Community Block Party. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mon., March 16, at Skate King, located at 6100 Natural Bridge Rd.
More than 300 families in the Pine Lawn and surrounding communities will receive the necessary ingredients to create meals from start to finish, over spring break and beyond. The St. Louis Area Foodbank will provide fresh food and shelf-stable items. Operation Food Search, which specializes in nutrition education, will hold onsite cooking demonstrations by its registered dietitians. Families will be able to enjoy samples and take recipes home.
“There are far too many people going hungry in our community,” said St. Louis Area Foodbank president and CEO Meredith Knopp. “We want as many people as possible to bring their families to the block party because food is a natural uniting force, and when communities come together, that sparks hope, which is the catalyst for positive and lasting change.”
“Children and their families experience the effects of food insecurity on an ongoing basis, but it is much more pronounced during times like spring break when school is not in session,” said Operation Food Search executive director Kristen Wild. “St. Louis Area Foodbank and OFS are working together to solve this problem. Both agencies bring unique strengths to the table, which is why this event’s partnership is so valuable to our community.”
The block party will also feature free health and vision screenings, as well as a variety of resources, ranging from education to utility assistance. Vendors include Affinia Healthcare, American Red Cross, Beyond Housing, CareSTL Health Inc., Earth Dance Farms, St. Louis County Libraries, St. Louis Insurance Group, STL Youth Jobs, St. Patrick’s Center and Spire.