SENECA FALLS — It began as a summer cereal collection by the Cayuga-Seneca Community Action Program.
It turned into much more — a friendly competition among three local law enforcement agencies and a local business.
The result was the collection of more than 1,600 boxes of cereal and breakfast items to feed children over the summer break when school is not in session.
The local police involvement was the idea of Seneca Falls Police Department clerks Allison Archer and Sheryl Spano. Seneca Falls Police Chief Tim Snyder thanked them and Waterloo Police Chief Jamie Chechak and Seneca County Sheriff Tim Thompson for their contributions to the cereal and breakfast food drive.
“The Cereal for Summer campaign is more than just providing breakfast,” Snyder said. “It’s about giving our children the start they need to thrive, grow and enjoy their summer break with the energy and nutrition they deserve. By supplying cereal and other breakfast items, we are supporting families who may struggle to put food on the table during this time.”
Thanking all who contributed to the program, Snyder said, “Together we are building a stronger, healthier community where every child has the opportunity to succeed.”
“We are proud to contribute $2,000 to support this important cause, ensuring that these children have access to the most important meal of the day during the summer break,” said Bill Lutz, president of Waterloo Container.
Mark Pitifer, communications director for Waterloo Container, said he hopes the company’s donation allows the program to meet or exceed its goal.
“Over 7,200 children in Seneca and Cayuga counties rely on school supplied meals every day. Without programs like CAP’s, they would go hungry in the summer. We hope that this is one of the program’s best years yet,” Pitifer said.
Cayuga-Seneca CAP, with offices in Auburn and Waterloo, is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1965 through the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight the war against poverty locally. CAP now employs more than 165 people serving more than 7,000 individuals annually in the two counties. They have more than 40 programs designed to not only alleviate hunger and homelessness, but to also help domestic violence victims, prepare people for the workforce, provide early childhood development, improve health outcomes, lower energy costs and consumption, strengthen families and mitigate crises.
