OUR PROGRAMS
Because NO child in our community should worry about how they will be fed.
We reduce barriers to accessing healthy food, which impacts immediate, short and long-term developmental outcomes for children and youth. Provision of food is a key prevention strategy impacting physical health, mental health and academic success, in breaking the cycle of poverty.
WEEKENDS WITHOUT HUNGER
Full backpacks equal happy tummies!
Program Overview: Participants aged 4 – 17 years are referred by schools aware of students with limited access to food in their homes. The school submits a referral and parental permission form. Healthy food items, including 5 fresh fruit items are packed by Food4Kids volunteers and delivered to schools each Thursday morning. At the school, the food package is tucked discreetly into the student’s own backpack helping to shield the child from any stigma associated with hunger or receiving food assistance. Each child in the home receives their own food package.
SUMMER PROGRAM
We continue to provide support for ALL students registered in our program while schools are closed.
All referrals for consideration in our program are received directly from
schools during the school year.
Please reach out to your children’s/child’s school in September
to express your interest in our program
Program Overview: We can now proudly say, ' We feed our kids during the summer months.' Throughout the school year, school staff refer students to our program who are in need of support. Through July and August, our program continues to support all students registered in our program by mailing grocery store gift cards. This continues into September until we are able to resume packing and delivering food bags for children to bring home for the weekend.
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
Because graduating into high school does not necessarily mean leaving hungry weekends behind.
Program Overview: Established in 2012, Food4Kids Hamilton now has students that have moved on from elementary to high school. Graduating into high school does not mean they are no longer living in poverty and experiencing hunger.
We piloted a program in 2018 with two Hamilton high schools. Referred by office and teaching staff, students considered the most impoverished received a package of food for the weekend. The impacts were astounding. Of the 60 student participants, each shared stories of how food access from Food4Kids impacted their lives. There are currently over 230 students in the 2022-2023 school year high school program.
