An Apple A Day Helps Keep Hunger At Bay

Every Thursday evening, Cluster Tutoring meets at First United Church in Oak Park for one-on-one tutoring sessions.   When the program asked if the Food Pantry could offer something healthy for students to snack on, a collaboration between the organizations was born.  Armed with fresh wholesaler produce, the Food Pantry provides apples or other seasonal fruit for the kids enrolled in Cluster Tutoring every week. 

Cluster Tutoring started 26 years ago to address the lagging 50% high school graduation rate of Chicago students, and serves over 100 students from Chicago, most coming from the Austin neighborhood.  Students meet from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, not always having time to grab dinner before getting help with homework.

Student reaction to the fresh fruit has been very positive.  “Of course if kids had their way, they’d love a bag of chips for a snack, but that’s just not healthy!” laughs Kara Kalnitz, Executive Director of Cluster Tutoring.  “We also offer granola bars, and we try to provide snacks with at least 4 grams of protein.  Some kids do not have time to eat dinner before they come, and the fruit helps curb their hunger so they can focus on their homework or reading activities,” she adds.

Pantry Manager, Paula Berg, says she was so touched by the caring tutor-student interactions she witnessed when she stayed late one Thursday night.  “I got a real sense of this fantastic organization.  They are a quiet group, but boy, are they making a difference,” she reflects.  “We intend on helping them for as long as needed.  If ever there’s leftover apples, I tell Kara, ‘send them home for a snack later – there might be a sibling or parent in the car who wouldn’t mind an apple.”  She adds, “Fresh fruit can be a little expensive for many families and we just love the fact they get so excited about it.   If we can help them out, really, what’s one apple?”  

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