WCVB: Popular East Boston Italian restaurant helping make sure kids don't go hungry

BOSTON — Doug Meehan

Many Massachusetts families have struggled to put food on the table throughout the pandemic.

As the school year comes to an end, a program is hoping to bridge the gap to make sure kids don't go hungry this summer. It's getting some help from Spinelli's, a popular East Boston Italian eatery.

Spinelli's has teamed up with the Shah Family Foundation and the YMCA to provide any child, up to the age of 18, free breakfast and lunch daily.

"Just like everybody in our community, we were hit hard – our neighbors were hit even harder," Celeste Riberio Hewitt, Operations Specialist with Spinelli's says.

"They get a package for the day. So for breakfast, it's cereal or a muffin or something of that nature," Hewitt said. "You get some milk, 2 fresh pieces of fruit and a nice entree."

They launched the program called "Local Lunchbox Special" last week.

With an average of 150 meals going out a day, he expects the need to only increase now that schools are getting out for the summer.

"When schools close down, kids don't have access to free breakfast and free lunch every day, so now they will through Spinelli's," Ross Wilson, the executive director of the Shah Family Foundation said.

The only requirement for the free delicious assistance is to be 18 or younger. You simply walk up to the counter and ask for the local lunch box special.

For the family-run business of over 30 years, they said being involved with the free meal program is what it means to be a member of the greater community.

"We're very resilient and diverse and we're able to do it. So we're so glad to be able to do it," Hewitt said.

Spinelli's is the first eatery to jump on board to help this program. Organizers are hoping that it's not the last. The free lunches will run through the end of September.

For more information on the program visit locallunchbox.org.