Maryland Food Bank
More than 137,000 children in Maryland are at-risk for hunger. Children who suffer from hunger can suffer from severe developmental disabilities as a result of not having enough to eat. The Youth Programs below help the Maryland Food Bank combat childhood hunger in a variety of distinct and unique ways. From encouraging parental volunteerism in our School Pantry Program to feeding children after school and during the summer through our At Risk Supper Program and Summer Food Service Program, the Maryland Food Bank is leading the movement to end childhood hunger in At Risk Supper Program Our At Risk Supper Program provides children with a meal after school while they participate in educational activities after school. Currently the Maryland Food Bank operates six At Risk Snack Programs that feed more than 500 children each day. In Fiscal Year 2009, the At Risk Snack program served nearly 16,000 snacks to hungry children in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County. School Pantries Parental involvement is a path out of poverty. School Pantries engage parents of low-income students in volunteer activities at their child's school. The goal of the program is to provide food for children going hungry, while also encouraging parents to take an active role in their child's education and development. During the 2008-2009 school year, the Maryland Food Bank operated 73 school pantry sites in Baltimore City that distributed more than 340,000 pounds of food to low-income parents and children in need. Next year, this program will be expanded to Summer Food Service Program When school is out--breakfast, lunch and dinner are still on! The Maryland Food Bank has partnered with the Maryland State Department of Education to ensure that children are getting fed during the summer months when school is not in session. This program specifically targets children in areas where at least 50 percent of children qualify for free or reduced school breakfast or lunch. In 2009, the Summer Food Service Program served 2,737 kids at 25 sites, providing more than 40,000 meals to children who otherwise would return to school undernourished and unable to learn. Backpack Program The Backpack program provides bags full of food to children eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school. Backpacks are handed out on Fridays and children take them home to share with their families over the weekend. The program began when teachers noticed children returning to school on Monday unable to concentrate because they had not eaten all weekend. In Fiscal Year 2009, the Maryland Food Bank distributed 9,360 backpacks to children. To learn more about any of our Youth Programs, contact Kizzy Dawkins, Youth Program Coordinator, at 410-737-8282 ext. 218. |
