With our nearly non-stop responses to Hurricane Beryl and the flooding in Iowa, it's been a few weeks since I updated you on our outreaches to help children here at home this summer.

As I write, we are still on track to provide about 180,000 meals to hurting kids this summer through special programs and our community kitchens.

+ + "Huddling" up for the kids...

Our "Summer Huddle" program partners pro athletes to provide hot meals and backpacks full of food to children who need a lift up. We have reached families in Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Dallas. Our goal is to distribute 7,000 backpacks, each with the equivalent of about 10 meals for the children

I'm hoping to have all the backpacks fully sponsored by the end of this week. But to do so, we're going to need help from friends like you.

Would you consider sponsoring six children to each receive a backpack with 10 meals for $70 (that's 60 meals in all)? Perhaps you can do more. Go here to help kids at home this summer:

These outreaches are having an impact on kids across the country. When a professional athlete like football player Jourdan Lewis (pictured here) hands a child a meal and a backpack full of food, it lifts the spirit of a young child and gives them hope.

This is another way you are partnering with Mercy Chefs to see something amazing happen as we share meals in love.

Can you help us reach as many children as possible before summer ends? We still need friends to help sponsor meals and backpacks.

Thanks in advance for your partnership, and God bless!