When a Washington state school district announced it had to cut funding to provide reduced-price lunches during summer, the parents of about 200 children in the "financially depressed" Gray's Harbor County area faced greater economic strain than normal, according to True Activist.
However, Good Magazine reported resident and great-grandmother Phyllis Shaughnessy stepped in, organizing a group of volunteers to fill the void.
The organization goes by the name Green Lantern Lunches, according to USA Today, and its volunteers assemble daily to make and deliver more than 200 sack lunches. In addition to preparing the meals, Shaughnessy delivers 90 herself and said the duty gives her purpose.
“We’re all put on Earth to do something. ... You’re offering hope, love and a lunch," Shaughnessy told Good Magazine. "They need to know that somebody cares.”
And parents of the children Shaughnessy strives to help said she does just that.
"The kids are always excited when Miss Phyllis is here," Angela Arroyo, a mother of five, told USA Today, acknowledging the entire Green Lantern Lunches group as well. "It's really great (that) they do it because they want to."
Good Magazine's article indicated children affected by the group's generosity should be able to get their discounted lunches again when school starts in September.
But that fact won't keep Shaughnessy from making more positive contributions to the community.
“I’ll be bringing school supplies pretty soon,” she told a local child, according to Good Magazine.
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Payton Davis is the Deseret News National intern. Send him an email at pdavis@deseretdigital.com and follow him on Twitter, @Davis_DNN.