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“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” This portion of a Fred Rogers famous quote is as true now as always. Such helpers are making a dramatic positive impact as people join together, virtually or at appropriate distances, to get through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Early Childhood Center (ECC) and the Head Start/Early Head Start Program are among the helpers. In cooperation with SIUE Dining Services, both are maintaining their commitment to offering meals to the numerous children and families they serve amid closures and other challenges associated with the health and economic crisis.

“It is important to support our families during this time,” said Lealia Williams, ECC program assistant and parent educator. “We want to make sure our parents’ needs are being met. When meals are provided for our families, it is one less thing that the parents have to worry about. We want to be sure no one is without food.”

The ECC has organized a meal pick-up opportunity every two weeks, during a short morning timeframe, for the parents of approximately 20 children. The meals are prepackaged by Dining Services and include breakfast, lunch and snack items, such as apples, milk, bread, turkey lunch meat, cheese, yogurt, muffins and more.

Dining Services has also prepared and safely transported meals for Head Start/Early Head Start, which provides services to more than 1,300 children and families. All Head Start/Early Head Start families were notified that sack lunches and bulk meals would be made available for pick-up through the end of March at each of the seven managed Head Start locations, as well as the administrative offices in East St. Louis.

“We are aware that many of our children get a large percentage of their daily meal requirements while in our centers,” said Carolyn Jason, MPA, assistant program director for SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start. “We know that childhood hunger is a problem throughout the country, and with parents being unemployed or under-employed, this service can help relieve the financial burden of limited budgets.”

In a video testimonial shared on March 19, Darlesha Pickens, whose 4-year-old daughter attends the Cahokia Head Start Center, expressed her appreciation for the meals, after having rushed from work to pick up a nutritious meal the Center had reserved for her.

“I want to thank you very much for all the help you guys are doing in the community,” Pickens said. “I just started a new job. I haven’t even gotten a first paycheck yet. I made it here, and by the grace of God … he is helping. He gave food for me and my baby. I just want to thank everybody who is handing this out and had the idea. Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it.”

According to Jason, during the ongoing closure, the program has also made families aware of other community organizations and local restaurants offering free meals.

“While we comply with the Governor’s “Stay-at-Home” order, we will continue to reach out to our Head Start/Early Head Start families in an effort to assist in any and every way possible,” she said.

Photo: Lealia Williams, program assistant and parent educator at the SIUE Early Childhood Center, organizes bags filled with two weeks’ worth of meals to be picked up by parents on Friday, April 3.