"This funding will help ensure that more young kids have the food they need to grow and thrive," says Caron Gremont, Director, Early Childhood, No Kid Hungry.
Contact: Adrienne Carter, acarter@strength.org
Washington, DC - No Kid Hungry, a campaign from the national nonprofit Share Our Strength, will invest $3 million in grants to organizations focused on early childhood to help decrease food insecurity among children under the age of six.
At one point during the past year, 40 percent of parents of kids under six reported job or income loss related to the coronavirus pandemic. More than one in five parents reported food insecurity in their household. Early childhood is the most intensive period of brain and body development, and hunger and hardship at this age can have long-term implications for children.
“Food insecurity in the early years can have an immediate and lasting impact on overall health, learning, school readiness, and behavior,” says Caron Gremont, Director of Early Childhood for the No Kid Hungry campaign. “These flexible, year-long grants will help organizations provide healthy food to young kids and their families at this critical time.”
The No Kid Hungry grants will serve more than 120 early child care centers, healthcare providers and community organizations. These organizations work with an estimated 170,000 children under the age of five in 34 states and the District of Columbia, with 4 out of 5 working primarily in communities of color.
Not only are these organizations on the front lines of hunger, most are also led by members of the community.
“These local leaders have a deep understanding of the families they serve and an authentic connection to the unique needs of their towns and neighborhoods,” says Gremont. “We are excited to help fuel their work and make sure more children have the food they need to grow and thrive.”
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 1 in 4 kids could face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.