(l-r) Jillian Laudenslager, VP, Chief Nursing Officer, Grand View Health; Doug Hughes, President and CEO, Grand View Health; Jane Loveless, VP, Chief Information Officer, Grand View Health; Keith Hammerschmidt, VP, Strategy, Grand View Health; Mark Horne, Senior VP, Chief Operating Officer, Grand View Health; Jacki Howenstein, Associate Vice President, Operations, Grand View Health; Tony Grycewicz, VP, Human Resources, Grand View Health
Grand View Health’s leadership team took a special road trip last Friday, inspired by a community organization that helps local children stay well-fed every summer.
Together, our hospital administrator shared smiles and inspiration as they packed nearly 600 bags filled with breakfast and lunch items. It all happened inside the Pennsburg offices of The Open Link, a nonprofit which provides services and programs that help, educate and empower others.
Approximately 15,000 bags will be distributed to children in Hereford and East Greenville as part of the organization’s Kids Meal Summer Program.
Providing a summertime lifeline for children
“Many children in the Upper Perkiomen Valley rely on free and reduced-cost meals during the school year, but they lack access to healthy meals during the summer months,” says Kelly Chandler, Director of Development and Communication at The Open Link. “Our Kids Meal Summer Program helps to fill that gap.”
Each bag includes four meals (breakfast and lunch) for one child. About 130 free bags are distributed each day at five sites throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley. Anybody age 18 and under who lives in the Upper Perkiomen School District is allowed to come and get meals – no strings attached.
A team approach to volunteering
Mark Horne, Chief Operating Officer of Grand View Health, organized the volunteer road trip to The Open Link. He was joined by Doug Hughes, RN, BSN, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer; Jillian Laudenslager, MBA, BSN, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer; Jane Loveless, VP, Chief Information Officer; Keith Hammerschmidt, VP, Strategy; Tony Grycewicz, VP, Human Resources and Jacki Howenstein, MSN, RN, Associate VP, Operations.
Grand View Health leaders will return in July to help The Open Link reach its goal of providing more than 15,000 lunches to local children before the end of summer.
Interested in joining the cause?
The Open Link is actively seeking drivers who can help distribute meals. For more information, email volunteers@theopenlink.org or call 215-679-4112. Want to donate? Visit The Open Link’s website, at theopenlink.org.