Lunch Break, Red Bank's nonprofit soup kitchen, has been serving members of our community for 25 years. Our main responsibilities are to serve hot lunches at Lunch Break Mondays through Fridays, and bag lunches each Saturday, which are prepared by volunteers from St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church in Lincroft. Each month we also provide groceries to more than 50 families, as well as used clothes in good repair to more than 100 clients.

The holidays are particularly important at Lunch Break. Each year, we distribute special food baskets with turkeys to more than 500 people

during Thanksgiving and Christmas,

and more than 200 children receive Christmas presents from Lunch Break.

Much of the food used by Lunch Break to serve the community is donated by local merchants, individuals, civic organizations, congregations, schools and the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. However, we are witnessing firsthand the effects of the economic downturn: the number of clients being served by Lunch Break has increased by over 25 percent during the past year, and on a typical day we now serve lunches to more than 100 adults and children. At the same time, our food reserves have decreased significantly.

People in our area have always been more than generous in their support of Lunch Break, which we very much appreciate.

For more information, you can visit us at 121 Drs. Parker Blvd., Red Bank, or at www.lunchbreak. org, or call us at 732-747- 8577. We wish you the very best for the coming holidays.
Hans Zweerink
President
Lunch Break
board of trustees