Locals flocked to the Sidney and Pauline Friedman Jewish Community Center on Tuesday night for the annual Dinner for Kids gala. From left are Ahmad Ali, Desiree Voitek, and Lynda Goldstein.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
Annual Dinners for Kids gala draws community support
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Locals flocked to the Sidney and Pauline Friedman Jewish Community Center on Tuesday night for the annual Dinner for Kids gala. From left are Donna Scott, Sheena Dalley, Justin Shaffern, and Allison Maslow.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
Dinner for Kids gala attendees check out the food options provided during the cocktail hour on Tuesday night at the Sidney and Pauline Friedman Jewish Community Center.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
A line begins to form near the raffle table at the Dinner for Kids gala on Tuesday night.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
Locals flocked to the Sidney and Pauline Friedman Jewish Community Center on Tuesday night for the annual Dinner for Kids gala.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
KINGSTON — The seventh annual Dinners for Kids gala took place on Tuesday night at the Sidney and Pauline Friedman Jewish Community Center. The event drew a crowd of community members who believe in and support Dinners for Kids’ mission to bring nutritious meals to food insecure children.
Bob Borwick, board chair of Dinner for Kids, said the organization began in 2011 and served about 40 children at that time. Thirteen years later, there are 248 local children being served, with an additional 50 being placed on a waiting list.
The waiting list is in place to ensure that the children benefiting from the Dinners for Kids program are genuinely in need, and that the system is not being taken advantage of.
“This is not a handout. We have the kids and the families vetted so that we make sure that they fit the food insecure guidelines,” explained Borwick.
Once involved with the program, a child receives six meals a week, and on three days per week. The food is made at and distributed from Ollie’s Restaurant in Edwardsville. The restaurant is currently owned by Borwick’s son, Matt.
Tuesday night’s gala is strategically placed at this time of year, on the edge of the holiday season’s apex.
“It’s a giving time of year,” Borwick said of the gala’s timing on the local calendar. “People are more festive and feel more like family and taking care of each other… so we definitely participate in that culture, absolutely.”
Borwick said the cooperation of local organizations that deal with children and families is vital to keeping Dinners for Kids up-to-date on the benefitting children’s progress. By collaborating with these local organizations, many of whom were represented on Tuesday night, Dinners for Kids can focus on its primary goal.
“We don’t want to be someone that’s trying to provide all the different services that some of these children do need, but we know, if they have a full belly, they’re significantly more likely to succeed,” said Borwick.
Tuesday’s gala featured a guest speaking appearance from WBRE/WYOU News Anchor Kelly Byrne, and Susan and Judd Shoval received the inaugural Jim Haggerty Service Award.