By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Family Dinner Week kicks off on Sunday, and people are encouraged to sit down and share a meal together.
The initiative, Princeton Family Dinner Week, is a partnership between Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance (PADA) and Corner House Initiative.
Family Dinner Week, which runs April 15 to 22, is the first of its kind in Princeton.
Organizers hope it inspires families, friends and neighbors to gather around the table for a meal and connect with each other.
”I happen to be a huge proponent of family dinners in our own home,” said Janet Giles, a board member of the Corner House Foundation Board and a member of the PADA, who had the idea for the Family Dinner Week. “I have been reading a lot over the past few years about how important family dinners are and teens report when they have a family meal five to seven times a week they feel they have an excellent relationship with their parents and are less likely to have easy access to drugs and alcohol.”
The family dinners give teens the feeling of being cared about and connected other family members.
”It’s not the food, it’s the time together,” said Ms. Giles. “From the Corner House perspective, family dinners are a deterrent to drug and alcohol use.”
There will be a community potluck dinner on April 16 in the Community Room of the Princeton Public Library. All the Princeton Regional Schools elementary schools will be making placemats as a class project called “My Place at the Table” as part of the celebration.
To get children excited about it, a family dinner-themed scavenger hunt will take place throughout town on April 9 until April 15.
Many local businesses have gotten behind the idea, offering discounts and specials in honor of the initiative. Offers can be found on the Princeton Family Dinner Facebook page.
The week also kicks off Corner House’s 40th Anniversary celebration.
