Ah, blogging.  Feels so good when I do it, but so easy to fall out of the habit.  And as we near the end of the school year, I am reminded that it is time to write.

Today, Friday June 12, marks the 3rd Friday in a row that Maureen has had to do both the packing AND the distribution of the backpacks.  Yes, I’ve been delinquent in my duties.  And yes, we should all be tremendously grateful to Maureen for adding the packaging to her already overloaded schedule.  One thing I’ve learned is that for things as operational as weekly food acquisition and redistribution, habits, routines and backup plans are essential.  And I commit to devoting time this summer to strengthening our operations. Maureen should not have to be my “packup backup” plan.

And what an inspiring conversation I had a week ago with Vicky I from Somerville’s Community Cooks!! Community Cooks http://communitycooks.org/, for those unfamiliar is a very cool local organization that mobilizes volunteers to prepare home-cooked food for vulnerable populations seeking assistance. Vicky is connected with all the different emergency food efforts springing up in the area, and is now planning a time for us to come together, share ideas, support one another, and use the power of our numbers to have a greater impact.  Next month representatives from Somerville School District as well as Thrive, Cambridge’s School Backpack program, Arlington’s Food Pantry, Food for Free, and Community Cooks will come together for the first time, and we will see where we go from there. At the same time, Vicky and I will be exploring a partnership between Thrive and Community Cooks to deliver monthly hot suppers to the PHA community starting in the fall.

As summer approaches, stay tuned, stay cool, and build community through food!