With roughly one in four children in Lucas County facing food insecurity, Connecting Kids to Meals provides children in northwest Ohio with the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive.
Since 2002, Connecting Kids to Meals has been providing hot, nutritious meals at no cost to youth ages 18 and under in low-income and underserved areas. As a non-profit organization, they fulfill this mission by working with community locations where kids gather, including schools, libraries, community centers, and other nonprofit organizations.
Wendi Huntley, president and CEO of Connecting Kids to Meals, along with her team of employees and volunteers, currently serve an average of 2,300 meals during the Afterschool Meal Program at 90 partner locations. Throughout the summer, the number of meals increases to about 6,000 meals each day at 150 partner programs.
Preparing food for thousands
The Connecting Kids team prepares and packages meals in a state-of-the-art kitchen at their downtown location. The organization shares its kitchen space with Cherry Street Mission Ministries. The operation runs like clockwork to prepare after-school snacks, after school dinners and weekend snack bags. During the summer months, the organization also offers breakfast and lunch for children. The meals are then delivered to partner locations throughout Lucas, Wood, Seneca and Sandusky counties.
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With the help of community partners, social media and their website, Connecting Kids to Meals promotes the availability of these snacks and hot meals to families throughout the region. On the organization’s website, families can find information about meal locations, snack menus and monthly hot meal menus.
The Connecting Kids team is dedicated to meeting the needs of children with compassion and creativity. The team works hard to be thoughtful as food plans are prepared. They pay close attention to school lunch schedules and survey the children to learn what type of snacks they enjoy, and the meal plans have a three-week rotation, so children are not frequently eating the same foods.
A mission to reduce child hunger
“The importance of the mission of Connecting Kids To Meals can’t be easily explained. There is so much that goes into providing healthy meals at no cost to kids ages 18 and under who are in low-income and underserved areas of Northwest Ohio,” Huntley shared. “We need strong partners like our schools, summer sites, libraries, community centers and other places where kids gather. We also need great staff members who get the job done day in and day out. Combine that with the needed generosity of donors and grantors who help us cover the costs of our programs and operations. Of equal importance are the volunteers who serve on the Board, pack meals, help us serve meals and do so many other things to support us. To be able to feed a hungry kid and provide nutritious meals is something that we value and feel privileged to do.”
Help make a difference
As a non-profit organization, it takes the help and support of many people and organizations to serve nearly 600,000 meals to children each year.
“I would like to thank our donors, partner sites and volunteers whom help us do this important work,” Huntley added. “I would also encourage people to consider a monetary gift of any amount. We need help covering about $2 per meal to ensure kids get hot, healthy, free meals during out-of-school time when they need them the most.”
The organization has periodic fund-raisers to help raise awareness, participates in the Souper Bowl of Caring in January and hosts Hunger Action Month in September to encourage people to advocate and donate. From online donations to gift cards and Kroger Rewards . . . there are a variety of ways to support Connecting Kids to Meals. To learn more visit connectingkidstomeals.org/take-action/ways-to-give.
Volunteers are also an invaluable part of the effort to feed children throughout northwest Ohio. The Connecting Kids team welcomes individuals or business groups to be part of the team! Volunteers often gather in downtown Toledo to package plates, utensils, condiments and snacks to help make meal distribution more efficient. More information about volunteer opportunities can be found online at connectingkidstomeals.org/take-action/the-volunteer-experience.
It takes the help and support of a generous community to help the Connecting Kids team work to ensure that no child is left hungry. To learn more about donor and volunteer opportunities visit the Connecting Kids to Meals website and follow their Facebook page.
