Feeding the hungry is as much religion news to me as anything happening in church.

This item, however, has nothing to do with church. But with so many children going hungry during the summer months, this is good news to me.

So a big “Thank you” to Miami-Dade County Public Schools for a program that will feed thousands of children throughout the summer. Many of the youngsters were able to get healthy, free meals for breakfast and lunch while school was open. Now, they will be able to get free lunches all summer.

The Summer Mobile Lunch Spots program which provides free, fresh cold lunches to children 18 and under. The program began June 15 and continues throughout the summer at the following schools: North County K-8, 3250 NW 207th St. in Miami Gardens; Meadowlane Elementary School, 4280 W. Eighth Ave. in Hialeah; Ada Merritt K-8, 660 SW Third St.; Phillis Wheatley Elementary, 1801 NW First Pl. in Overtown; Campbell Drive K-8, 15790 SW 307th St., and Oak Grove Elementary, 15640 NE Eighth Ave. in North Miami.

More than 73 percent of Miami-Dade Public Schools students are on the free or reduced-price lunch program. “Throughout the year, parents rely on the food the school district offers to feed their children,” said Daisy Gonzalez-Diego, the school district’s chief communications officer. “This program will not only help M-DCPS students, but also the neighborhood children.”

Mondays through Fridays during the summer, the Department of Food and Nutrition food truck will deliver and serve balanced and nutritious lunches with fresh fruits and vegetables to the children. The lunches must be eaten on the participating schools’ campuses.

If you have questions about the program, contact Gonzalez-Diego at 305-995-2060.

Summer Music Extravaganza on June 26

Silver Palm United Methodist Church at 15855 SW 248th St. in Homestead will have its fifth annual Summer Music Extravaganza 7 p.m. June 26.

The program will include southern gospel, praise and worship, traditional religious and patriotic songs to be performed by several area musicians to include vocalists and instrumentalists.

I’m told this will be an evening of informal worship and praise, and a time to relax and “let your hair down” and have fun, fellowship, laughter and music.

For more information contact Sandy Keffer at sankeff@aol.com.

JWorks Miami matches job seekers with employers

In an effort to upgrade employment assistance services, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Services of South Florida is introducing a joint program that will help job seekers in their quest for employment.

Called JWorks Miami, the service is funded by the Blank Family Foundation with additional support from the annual Federation/UJA Campaign. It offers job seekers and employers a user-friendly website, JWorksMiami.org to match qualified applicants with available positions.

JWorks also connects prospective employees with professionals who provide advice and counseling throughout the job-search process, and provides educational and networking opportunities through in-person programming.

Said Career Counselor Laurie Turner: “We serve Jewish job-seekers who currently live in Miami-Dade and who are job ready. Our program provides individual counseling and workshops on résumé preparation, interviewing ad other job-search skills.”

JWorks Miami was originally founded in 2010 as Parnossah Works, created as a meaningful community response to the era’s recession, which caused a significant number of job losses throughout Greater Miami. Since then, program professionals have counseled 1,341 clients, posted more than 2,000 job opportunities, and filled 941 positions.

JWorks Miami was founded after a 2014 Jewish Population Study conducted by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation revealed continuing demand for effective employment services within Miami’s Jewish community.

Michelle Labgold, the Federation’s chief planning officer said, “Approximately 12 percent of those who responded to our Jewish Population Study said there was a need for employment assistance. ... We decided to retool and relaunch the program to reach as many people as possible, and to better serve the needs of both job-seekers and employers.”

For more information visitJWork’s website or call 305-403-6554.

Temple Israel’s Alan Mason honored

Congratulations to Alan Mason, music director at Temple Israel of Greater Miami, who will be installed as president of the Guild of Temple Musicians at the International Convention of the American Conference of Cantors and affiliate Guild of Temple Musicians June 28-July 2 at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.

Mason, who will co-chair the convention, has been a member of the Guild of Temple Musicians for more than 20 years and has served in a variety of leadership roles. He will be installed June 30 at a cantorial concert.

His primary area of training and work as a professional pianist is as an accompanist to singers, instrumentalists and choral ensembles. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe and on television, radio and recordings. Mason is recognized as an authority on Jewish music and is a much sought performer and lecturer on the topic at festivals and concerts throughout the country.

Mason recently retired from Barry University where he was an associate professor of music.

The cantorial concert on June 30 begins 7:30 p.m. and will feature 200 cantors and musicians in concert at Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El, 8200 Peters Rd in Plantation. It is open to the public and tickets are $25 general admission. A $50 sponsorship will include a gala dessert reception. Call Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El at 954-472-1988 or visit www.BrownPaperTickets.com/Event/945849.

Church health fair on Saturday

Bethel Apostolic Temple at 1855 NW 119th St., will host United For Care, a health fair geared to serving the diverse needs of the community from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The health fair is hosted in collaboration with Care Resource, the Rev. Darryl Baxter, and Churches United for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS. A variety of free health screenings and community services will be offered, including social work and behavior health, legal advice, public notary and medication management.

The event will include entertainment, incentives and free food, and is also in celebration of National HIV Testing Day and targets families and community members who are traditionally under served for health and social services.

“Through this collaboration we prayerfully hope to make a huge impact on the reduction of newly reported cases of HIV/AIDS,” Baxter said.

For more information visit www.careresource.org or call 305-576-1234.