When the pandemic shut down schools in the Pittsburgh region, many students who relied on free and reduced lunch for consistent meals suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves without access to food. This was a true crisis for many students and their families. In partnership with the United Way and powered by funding from PNC, Eat’n Park Hospitality Group quickly mobilized to feed K-12 students across 11 districts in southwestern Pennsylvania. We proved that we had the infrastructure, the expertise, and the resources across our vast network of locations to build an efficient, adaptable and successful model to respond to this urgent call. As a result, we’ve developed an incredible network of support that has no rival across the United States. The program has continued well beyond the originally planned time frame and continues to grow with an infusion of an additional $3.5 million+ in funding. We have become such a trusted partner that the United Way is now counting on us to grow this program in order to serve more neighbors in need, including the addition of breakfast and dinner service. The additional funding will ensure that the program will sustain through the remainder of 2020 and will allow us to expand our services to include family homes, county housing units, and other outlets in addition to school-aged children.