PORT ARTHUR — The smell of home cooking permeates the air at Jireh World Church and the kids attending the summer food program know what’s in store, a great meal and some good times.

Pearlanna Carron has reignited the Port Arthur Summer Food Program with Triangle Community Outreach and Jireh World Church and Outreach Ministries. The program is currently held at the church at 3505 Procter in Port Arthur.

They offer children up to the age of 18 a meal for breakfast and lunch regardless of income and hope to soon expand to several housing centers to better feed children who do not have a way to get to the church.

On Friday, there were already more than 30 children, mouths watering, lining up to grab a bite to grab a hamburger fresh from the cooks, also Carron’s sisters. After choosing their favorite toppings and sitting down to lunch, energetic sounds of youth decreased as bite after bite of the juicy burgers took the place of words.

Jeremiah Lyons, Ashley Dixon and Kennedy Lyons say they’ve enjoyed meals of spaghetti, grilled chicken, quesadillas, red beans and rice and a summertime favorite, hot dogs.

And this isn’t your typical mass-produced cafeteria food.

“It’s really good,” said Jeremiah Lyons.

Not only is there great food but the opportunity to hang out and play some games is there as well. Some children who show up for breakfast stay for the lunch meal.

“We’ve made new friends and some of them we already knew, so that’s cool,” said Dixon.

Carron also ran the food program during the summer of 2008, during which they fed more than 75 children a day.

However, this isn’t the first venture into community care and outreach for Carron, it’s in her blood, engrained into her from an early age. Her mother, Exie Simon, was a nationally-recognized humanitarian and founded three organizations dedicated to taking care of the needy, all while fighting two bouts with cancer and raising 16 children and stepchildren. One organization, the Triangle Soup Kitchen, fed more than 150 people five days a week, often seeing lines appear well before the kitchen opened its doors. Carron worked alongside her seven sisters in the soup kitchen doing what was needed to make sure no one went hungry or wanting.

Before her death, Simon passed the ladle of charity to her son-in-law Simon Carron, giving to him the cooking supplies used while preparing meals for the needy of Port Arthur.

However, following Hurricane Rita in 2005 the building was irreparably damaged and vandals broke into the kitchen, taking with them the equipment used to prepare meals for the needy of Port Arthur. With a lack of insurance and funding they were forced to close the kitchen. But the thieves could not steal the love and passion of helping those less fortunate, leading Triangle Community Outreach to find a home at Jireh World Church and create the summer food program.

“I think it’s part of our legacy. I know there are children during the summertime that aren’t being adequately fed,” said Carron. “We’re just doing what we can to pass it on.”

Helping her with the program are her sisters Erica Broussard, Earthelle Paul-Branch, Adrea Jackson and Vivian Ballou. She also has help from several dedicated volunteers such as Brenda Simmons, Sonja James and Nikkiel McMillian.

Port Arthur ISD offers a similar program available at summer school locations. According to 2011-12 Texas Education Agency statistics  81 percent of PAISD students are eligible for free meals and five percent more for meals with reduced pricing.

The program is open to any organization, community or location with a place to gather and serve food. The only thing required is a quick over-the -phone application process. They will also travel to Vacation Bible Schools, said Carron.

The program serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The meals are served at Jireh World Church and Outreach Ministries and will be expanding to several community centers in Port Arthur. For additional information, call Pearlanna Carron at (409) 332-8877.