GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Help fight food insecurity among West Michigan children today by decorating a brown paper bag.
Kids' Food Basket's Brown Bag Decorating Day is Friday, Oct. 23. The community was encouraged all month long to decorate bags and send them in to the nonprofit, but Friday is the final push.
"That's right, we are in our 13th year of Kids' Food Basket's "Brown Bag Decorating Day" and "Brown Bag Decorating Month." We are amplifying community spirit and asking our West Michigan community to take some time, get some markers and colored pencils, decorate brown paper bags and drop those off at Kids' Food Basket," says Bridget Clark Whitney, founding CEO.
Data show roughly 1 in 5 West Michigan children deal with food insecurity every day. Kids' Food Basket has led the charge in changing that with its Sack Supper Program.
"This is particularly needed now, more than ever, because the world is a tough place right now. And, these decorative bags are a touch of love. They are brightness. They are brightening days and bringing joy. So, it is a way that we can all give back and band together at a time where it's more important than ever," says Clark Whitney.
This year, TCF Bank is joining the effort and will donate 10 cents for every bag decorated, up to $10,000.
"We are so grateful to be partnering with them. We've been looking for ways to be able to do something with Kids' Food Basket for a long time," says Krista Flynn, regional president of TCF Bank. "Non-profits need us now more than ever. Even with budgets being tight, you know, their budgets are even tighter. So, we're just so excited to be able to help kids. We always talk about the fact that kids can't learn if they're hungry. They need to be well nourished and this is a great way to do that."
Anyone interested can drop off decorated brown or white paper sack lunch bags to any of the three KFB locations from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the drive-thru party.
- Kids' Food Basket Grand Rapids: 1300 Plymouth Ave. NE
- Kids' Food Basket Muskegon: 1011 2nd St. (Central United Methodist Church)
- Kids' Food Basket Holland: 652 Hastings Ave.
For those who cannot make it to a KFB location on the Oct. 23, they will also be accepted at any of the 24 TCF Bank branch locations throughout West Michigan that day.
"We are so grateful to TCF Bank for their support and partnership to ensure children have access to the healthy food they need to thrive," said Clark Whitney. "Like I mentioned, our community needs us now more than ever. Things have certainly changed, in that prior to the pandemic we were serving children through schools. Now, with about 50% of our schools being virtual, we're serving kids through distribution sites and schools that are in session. We're going to different locations around our 4 different counties Kent County, Muskegon County, Ottawa County and Allegan County. We're in 70 different distribution sites. Our work is about ensuring that everyone has access to good healthy nourishing food."
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kids’ Food Basket served over 8,800 kids at 52 schools where 70% or more of the student population receive free or reduced-cost meals in Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa and Allegan counties. The COVID-19 crisis has escalated the need for access to consistent, healthy meals.
Since day one of the school closures in March, KFB has been on the front lines providing over 458,000 healthy emergency meals to 70 different distribution sites. The meals were distributed to organizations, schools, and churches. In that time, food costs have skyrocketed 66% for Kids' Food Basket.
Make a monetary donation to Kids' Food Basket here.
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