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Meals Matter program gets more support

By Staff | May 17, 2019

NASHUA — Mayor Jim Donchess officially named a day to celebrate the Meals Matter program, which students at Nashua High School South initiated to help feed hungry classmates.

Donchess and New Hampshire Sen. Melanie Levesque, D-Nashua, stopped at the school to meet with students from Suzanne Winters’ Marketing II class and Lisa Yates’ Human Relations class. These students have worked together this academic year to develop a plan to feed their hungry classmates who miss qualification for free and reduced lunches, but still can not afford to buy lunch on a daily basis.

“We are here because of all the good work that you have done in connection with the Meals Matter program,” Donchess told students Tuesday.

Donchess added: “We know and you know how important this is for our students, because how can someone possibly concentrate and learn anything if they are hungry?”

Tuesday also happened to be National Decency Day, which celebrates the “basic standard of civility that every American deserves.”

DECENCY is a nonpartisan grassroots movement which endeavors to inspire decency in everyday life. The goal is to encourage decency in conversations and actions by launching local movements that grow nationally.

In addition, a Decency button was designed to be a daily reminder to treat people with respect and kindness.

Donchess told the students that with Levesque’s help, they proclaimed May 14 not only as National Decency Day, but also Meals Matter Day.

“By this proclamation, we endeavor to encourage decency in our community and whereas displaying the ultimate example of decency, students in Human Relations and Marketing II class of Nashua High School South developed the Meals Matter program to support their fellow students. The program offers meal vouchers to student who are left without lunch or breakfast during the school day. Students have raised $25,000 so far for the program,” Donchess stated while reading a proclamation.

“We want a community of kindness where people perform acts of kindness, which you of course have done to the max,” Donchess added.

Once Donchess finished reading the proclamation, Levesque addressed the students.

“What you’ve done is something that you didn’t have to do,” Levesque said. “You shouldn’t have to be leaders in this, but you are and I thank you very much. I hope it spreads like wildfire, especially to us adults, too. I thank you all for what you’re doing and don’t forget how important you are, and how one person can make such a difference.”

Within the last six months, the Meals Matter students have raised more than $25,000 through events, fundraising, donations and other avenues.

Last month, they were able to start the program at Nashua High School North.

In addition, the Meals Matter students have raised enough money to clear all negative meal balances throughout the Nashua School District. For the future, they plan to expand the program into the middle schools and then the elementary schools.

Grace Pecci may be reached at 594-1243, or at gpecci@nashuatelegraph.com.

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