Thanks to the amazing support of the PHA community and our friends, we enjoyed our first lively and well-attended Third Thursday supper on November 15th. Angela Allen, Head of School and Jeffrey Kushner from the Board of Trustees joined us. And thanks to Jeffrey, the rest of us got to taste his delicious lasagna.

During conversation it was asked whether or how these suppers address the hunger problem. A better question might be, “What purpose do Third Thursdays serve?”. Perhaps they help families stretch their food budgets toward the end of the month. Statistics show that for most recipients, SNAP benefits run out around the 21st of each month. Perhaps Third Thursdays offer families a night off from racing home at the end of a busy day to prepare a family meal. Instead families get to relax among friends over a warm meal prepared by someone else. Perhaps Third Thursdays remind us that we are all enriched by working together and supporting one another. And what better way to come together than around food? And perhaps Third Thursdays are really all about Jess’ amazing carrot cake. (yum!)

It is clear that we cannot solve food insecurity with a single supper each month. But in some respects we are doing so much more.