GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer announced that it has donated $1 million to Kids' Food Basket to expand the Grand Rapids Public Schools' (GRPS) Meijer Weekend Meal Program.
The Meijer Weekend Meal Program currently serves two GRPS elementary schools and supplies food for an estimated 500 children to be taken home on the weekends.
Meijer's donation will expand the program for the 2022-23 school year and will help more children bring home fresh produce, healthy proteins and snacks on the weekends.
Estimates from early in the COVID-19 pandemic by the Food Security Council show that approximately 1.9 million people in Michigan were burdened by food insecurity, which includes 552,000 children.
“We understand that healthy students are better learners, but we also recognize that an increasing number of families are struggling to put food on their tables as the challenges around the pandemic continue,” said Cathy Cooper, Senior Director of Community Partnerships and Giving for Meijer.
“We believe the Meijer Weekend Meal Program made a tremendous impact over the past three years, and are glad to see it expand to help even more students get nutritious meals that will ultimately help them focus in the classroom,” Cooper added in a statement.
Meijer provides food for the weekend meal program and participating students bring home fresh produce, healthy proteins and healthy snacks in a brown paper bag each weekend.
“For over 10 years, Kids’ Food Basket has had the honor to partner with Meijer to break down the barriers to food equity in our community,” said Bridget Clark Whitney, President and Founding CEO of Kids’ Food Basket. “The Meijer Weekend Meal Program allows us to scale our healthy, nourishing weekend meals to students at a time when rising costs are putting a strain on so many families. This is needed now more than ever. On behalf of the Kids’ Food Basket community, thank you for championing food equity in our community.”
The donation comes as part of Meijer's end-of-year donation program which has totaled $6.5 million in donations to support hunger relief, diversity & inclusion, sustainability and local giving.
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