Monrovia – At least 100 children received their regular free meals on Gurley Street in Monrovia last Saturday, provided by Florence Bracewell Lardner Children Foundation (FBLCF).
Started during the height of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in 2014, Executive Director Phillip Gibson told the Daily Observer Newspaper that the foundation saw it as a necessary initiative to cater to the many children at the time who roamed the community looking for food.
“We thought it would be a nice thing to do to alleviate the hunger of children who were roaming here and there for non-existing food,” Gibson said. He said since October 2014: “Children in our community and beyond have come here every Saturday afternoon to receive their meals.”
The only rule, he said, is that the child must bring his/her own bowl to collect the meal. They are also provided with one bag of mineral water. “Even one-year-old kids are carried by sisters or brothers to get their plate of food,” he said.
“I think we are doing a great work for children to eat free of charge. And I am sure from information from their families that they appreciate what we are doing.” Gibson said “the best our society can do for children who are vulnerable whenever there is a bad situation is to put some good things together to ease their suffering.
“Our community’s basic need that needs attention is lack of food since many poor families are not in the position to provide for their children.” Gibson said the foundation spends about US$150, including four sacks of water, adding that the journey has just begun.
“We hope that we can get other like-minded people involved with us to expand it to other communities, as well as ensuring that those in need of education are helped to do so,” Gibson said. Gibson is also the administrator of the J. L. Gibson Memorial School on Gurley Street.
Since the exercise began in 2014, the Lions Club of Monrovia and individuals have made contributions to ensure that vulnerable children on Gurley Street and beyond receive free food every Saturday. Assisting Gibson are regular volunteers: Ms. Vanessa Kennedy; Ms. Joanna Zeabo; Ms. Akma Aaron; and Ms. Jamelia Loum.