Monsey - free meals VENT

amother

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:27 pm

On Friday I recieved a flyer via WhatsApp to sign up to get free lunches. I signed up, and starting this Thursday I will pick up a box of lunch for a week for my kids under 18 (most will be frozen. My kids are excited). My kids schools arents part of any government lunch programs.

When I informed my friend about this, she told me that she is picking up food since before pesach.

I told a neighbor on shabbos about this, she said that her kids are in Bais Rochel and have been getting food since before pesach.

Can someone please explain why it wasn't advertised until now? I pay taxes and this is a federally funded program where all school kids are eligible. Why was is kept a secret?

Also, can I go to Bais Rochel on Monday and pick up food, if my kids are not in that school? My neighbor wasnt sure.

amother

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:36 pm

dankbar wrote:

Are they in same school or other? Maybe your school is just starting now if it wasn't on any lunch program till now & hooked up

The food program has nothing to do with my kids school, except that it's the same caterer that provides the school lunches during the year.

This program is for anyone in Monsey that has a child under 18. Flyer had 3 options. I heard that these options were around since before pesach.

The school didn't send out the flyer, it was posted on FB and passed around on WhatsApp.

Ema of 5

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:36 pm

I wish our local schools or organizations were organizing free meals. I’m very happy with the breakfasts I get from the public school across the street from my house, but the meals being provided by the frum schools look so much heartier and more substantial.

amother

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:39 pm

I am grateful that we can get lunches. I just want to know 2 things.

1- why was it kept a secret until now
2- anyone knows if I can go to Bais Rochels Monday pickup?

amother

Babypink

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:45 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I am grateful that we can get lunches. I just want to know 2 things.

1- why was it kept a secret until now
2- anyone knows if I can go to Bais Rochels Monday pickup?

1.I don't think it was a secret per se, its just that you may not have heard about it. Are all the grants, PPP, unemployment, notices about which quarantines are mandated, etc. secret? No. but that doesn't mean everyone heard about it.
There have been numerous threads on imamother about it.
2. According to law, you should be able to go to the school closest to your home (or any other of your choice). However, I don't know what Beis Rochel is doing. I would go once and see what happens.

southernbubby

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:46 pm

My granddaughter goes to the Monsey Chabad Cheder and they gave lunches from before Pesach to the families in the school. Another granddaughter goes to Chofetz Chaim and they didn't give out food. DS or DIL picks up the food.

amother

Ivory

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:47 pm

I don't have answers for you.
Just be appreciative of what you are getting from here on forward.
(I get nothing from school/gov./community, but B"H I have food in my house-which I bought with the money I make from my job, which is all from Hashem)

thunderstorm

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:48 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

This new WhatsApp message is a new one. There are other schools that have been offering before. The government program has been going on since before Pesach. But now more schools are taking part in it.

Ema of 5

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:50 pm

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

According to what law? Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Jewish schools providing meals has nothing to do with whatever city/county/town providing meals.

thunderstorm

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:52 pm

Ema of 4 wrote:

According to what law? Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Jewish schools providing meals has nothing to do with whatever city/county/town providing meals.

It’s a NY government program

amother

Gold

Sat, Apr 25 2020, 11:53 pm

Because till now you had to sign up through a school and your school was supposed to give you lunch. At the end schools were able to give lunches to others as well but people didn't know about it.
Unfortunately kids were going hungry and someone who is involved in an organization in Monsey took it upon themself to help starving children. So they now started a program where it should not have to go through a school and everyone should know about it.
So no, this was no secret. It's a new initiative. This is someone's hard work to bring this program to every child in the county.

So it would be nice to do some research before jumping to conclusions. I was somewhat involved with one of the people involved in this project and would appreciate you deleting or editing this post.

This program deserves appreciation and gratitude.

amother

Mauve

Sun, Apr 26 2020, 12:02 am

Its not a new program. My school's didn't offer it but I know bais yaakov of Rockland offered it before pesach for anyone...didn't have to go to their school. Personally I didn't sign up because my kids are picky and I didn't want to run to chestnut ridge to get it. I text one number on the flyer now for bas Mikroh but I didn't get a response. (Not so into it but figured I would try it maybe kids would be excited ....I am fine making them food bh)

amother

Pearl

Sun, Apr 26 2020, 12:04 am

I’m in Lakewood and it was not heavily advertised.
If you sent to a school that gave you maybe found out. My boys don’t. I only found out through social media posts and word of mouth.