Though Friday signals the end of the work week for many, the good people of Mount Carmel Guild, Trenton, are busy readying themselves for their busiest day of the week. 

Family Fridays is a new program that was instituted June 21 to address the growing needs of families with children during the summer months, when the breakfast and lunch programs provided by schools are not available. 

“We saw a need during the summer months when many of the food pantries do not get as many donations as they normally do because people are on vacation,” Dominican Sister Loretta Maggio, program director of the Guild’s Emergency Assistance Services, explained.

 “We can only service them once a month, so we reached out to families with children and we decided to set aside Fridays, as Family Fridays, where we can service our families and give them a little extra during the summer months,” she said.

“We also discovered that many of them had children younger than school-age,” she acknowledged, “and we wanted to find a way to help them too.”

In response to this growing need, executive director Marie Gladney applied and received funds from the Toys “R” Us New Jersey Grant Initiative.  The one-time grant, rewarded in the amount of $25,000, allowed the organization to purchase diapers, baby clothing, baby food and formula.

Three organizations in Mercer County received the grant, which was awarded in late 2011. In addition to Mount Carmel Guild, the CYO of Mercer County was also a recipient.

“Part of the money needed to be spent on breakfast and lunch items for children who will not be receiving them in school,” Gladney discussed.

“We fill the bags with fruits, vegetables, juices, yogurt, cheeses and healthy snacks,” Sister Loretta shared. The grant also allowed them to include items such as shampoo and sunscreen. 

On these special Fridays, Mount Carmel Guild services between 15- 20 families.  The packages are already prepared for the families who are given a referral and provided with date to visit. 

Sister Loretta said that the Guild serves close to 650 households each month, half of them being families and the rest single adults.

 “Once they come in, they receive their package and then we look at the families and assess if we have some extra things we can give them,” Sister Loretta noted.

The program, which began in June, will conclude the Friday before Labor Day.

“The people are really grateful, they really are,” she remarked.  “It's not a big deal, but it gives them a little extra, they can pay the rent or catch up on bills or get ready for back-to school.  We understand it’s not easy.”

And while the additional funding from the grant has allowed Mount Carmel Guild to provide the Family Fridays food bags, Sister Loretta cannot stress enough how appreciative the organization is for the support they receive throughout the year from the local parishes and schools.

“We are very grateful for the constant support we have from the churches and school children in the community.  It is really is wonderful. On behalf of the people that receive this, who don’t take anything for granted, we are very grateful.”