Alleviating Summer Hunger for Children

Volunteers packing lunches
by The Salvation Army in Canada
Categories: Divisional News
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By: June Li

For the first time this year, The Salvation Army in Lindsay partnered with Kawartha Lakes Food Source to create a summer outreach lunch program for children in need. Twice a week throughout the months of July and August, children were invited to enjoy a delicious lunch. These lunches were held at local schools and served between six to 25 children every day.

Janet Rodin, Aisha Malik (Health Unit Dietician /Food Security Working Group), and Heather Kirby (General Manager of the Kawartha Lakes Food Source).

Janet Rodin, Aisha Malik and Heather Kirby.

“It was brought to our attention that some students in Lindsay get anxious and sad during summer months about not having enough to eat, especially without school lunch programs in place,” says Aisha Malik, Chairperson for the Kawartha Lakes Food Coalition’s Food Security Working Group.

Although most schools in the community offer breakfast/lunch programs during the academic year, they stop during the summer months. Sadly, many low-income families are dependent on this support. “Lindsay has very high rental prices and limited employment. After expenses, a lot of families have little room left in their budget for food,” explained Janet Rodin, The Salvation Army in Lindsay, Community Ministries Coordinator.

Summer lunch programs are important as they ensure that no child goes hungry during their summer holidays. “Through this program, we wanted to make sure that children were able to get something nutritious during the summer months and this ensures that they are receiving a healthy meal at least twice a week,” says Rodin.

 

Hunger and poverty is an issue that many locals in Lindsay know all too well. Unfortunately, 20% of children living in Lindsay are from low-income families. There is no doubt that summer feeding programs are making a difference in the lives of struggling families in the community.

“One Wednesday it was pouring rain and the volunteers headed out to their drop-off locations,” says Rodin, “When a volunteer arrived at the location she found a boy, no shoes or shirt, waiting for the lunches to arrive.”

“This is why the program runs – to serve those children whose families are doing the best they can but still struggling.”

Did you know, a small donation of $20.00 can help feed a hungry family in need? Make a one-time or monthly donation to support the work of The Salvation Army where the need is the greatest by clicking here.