Let me tell you a story about a moment of failure that turned into something much greater. It's one of those moments that happens to us all, even as parents. So, there I was, standing in front of Cold Stone Creamery on a warm Sunday afternoon, promising my kids an ice cream treat. But then, the realization hit me like a ton of bricks: I had failed to feed them a proper dinner! And anyone who's been around kids knows what happens when they get a sugar high without proper sustenance. It's like unleashing mini-gremlins on the world.

Luckily, a Panera Bread was conveniently located right next door. After some intense negotiations with my four and seven-year-olds, we struck a deal to have dinner at Panera before indulging in our ice cream mountain. Little did I know, this moment would turn into something much bigger.

As we were leaving Panera, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of bread left over. My mind immediately went to all the food waste and what happens to it, especially during the summer when kids who rely on school meals may go without. Summers can be tough on families, and my scrawny little one eats more than a linebacker getting ready for the Super Bowl.

After speaking with the manager, I learned that the bread either gets donated or thrown away. This did not sit well with me, especially since I had worked in non-profit organizations that served underserved communities and families who fall through the cracks. I signed up for Panera's Donation Program and committed to picking up all the leftover bread every Monday night. My assistant, Morgan, and I would then sort, bag, and prepare the bread for our community.

As someone with a Communications background, I focused on reaching our immediate community through social media. Within a week, my driveway was constantly in motion with people picking up their bread without anyone needing to answer any questions. The truth is, when someone needs some extra food or resources, sometimes they feel a certain way about going to a food pantry or asking for assistance. But there's no stigma in asking your neighbor for a cup of sugar, milk, or an egg.

That's when June Beri's "Neighbors helping Neighbors Program" was born. For nearly a year and a half now, we've been feeding our community and have also committed to donating weekly to Safe Harbor, a local organization in Hunterdon that provides a safe, inclusive, child-friendly, and supportive space to host supervised visitations and social engagement opportunities for families experiencing separation and divorce. Additionally, they provide support, programs, and referrals for individuals with domestic violence, sexual assault, and other trauma-related experiences.

This initiative has never been about publicity. It's based on my fundamental belief that if you can help someone else in any way, you should do it. You don't have to be wealthy to make a difference; you can always find unique ways to make a massive impact on someone else's life. I am grateful for the opportunity to help our neighbors and community. A special thank you to Panera for facilitating this wonderful program and to Morgan for her dedication to giving back.

So, you see, sometimes our moments of failure can lead to something beautiful. All it takes is a little creativity, a little heart, and a willingness to help those around us. Who knows? Your next moment of failure could be the start of something amazing. It certainly did for me and as a bonus, it’s awesome to know that our team here at June Beri is always truly engaged and involved in the community around us. It’s who we are.

~ Kasia McManamon

If you would like to help us in this initiative, we do go through quite a bit of bread bags that we pay for personally and would gladly accept donated purchases of bread bags. They can be found on Amazon: Bread Bags. If you'd like to send them to our office, our address is 49 Main Street Suite 3 Clinton, NJ 08809. Thank you to all who have sent us bags so we can continue giving back to our community.