TOLEDO, Ohio — In a month dedicated to raising money to fight back against childhood hunger, there is a lot happening behind the scenes.
Connecting Kids to Meals in downtown Toledo has a lengthy process to make sure the food, and the right amounts of it, get to the kids in need.
It wasn't Christmas Eve, but Pamela Patterson was making a list and checking it more than twice.
Patterson is a driver for Connecting Kids to Meals and is a vital part of the team that packs up and delivers free, nutritious meals to kids who need it after school.
On a recent Wednesday afternoon, she was making sure each item of food was in her totes to take to Start High School.
As her work continued at their warehouse on 1501 Monroe St., her checklist was all checking out perfectly and was ready to roll out for her delivery.
Patterson has been a delivery driver for the organization since the pandemic started in 2020.
"It's important to see the little kids get food," Patterson said. "You know, we deliver food to them and some of them will be up there, just anxious to get it. And so, I like that expression on their face and when they see a truck pulling up, they would be jumping up and down, clapping, asking, 'is it ready yet?'"
When kids are relying on what's in those totes, you can't afford to get anything wrong.
"We have our checklist, before even loading up, so definitely a lot of steps in the process," said Folasade Oladokun, the logistics coordinator for Connecting Kids To Meals. "One missed banana may potentially mean that one kid does not get a full, balanced meal."
Patterson then arrived at Start High School as the well-planned process continued.
She removed two totes from her van that needed to get to one of the doors of the school and taken inside.
"We have a certain amount of time that we have to get the food there to the kids hot and we want to serve them a good, hot, real, nutritious meal," Patterson said.
At the school, they were waiting for the delivery and took it inside so the kids would have access to it when the bell rang at the end of school.
It's Hunger Action Month for Connecting Kids to Meals and a time to fundraise to get the needed money for this food. They don't want any child to go through their day feeling hungry.
"In the United States, we think: 'Hunger? That's somewhere else, that's other countries, that doesn't happen here,'" Oladokun said. "But definitely it does happen here."
The organization is always looking for donations and if you don't have the money to help them, you can volunteer.
In addition to local schools, Connecting Kids to Meals also delivers to libraries and Boys & Girls Clubs locations.
You can ask Connecting Kids to Meals about those chances to help, by calling 419-720-1106 or going to their website at Connecting Kids to Meals.