TOLEDO, Ohio — At WTOL 11, we are shining a light on childhood hunger in our area, the work being done by a local group and how you can help through Fueling Kids, Fighting Hunger.
Connecting Kids to Meals packs an average of 2,500 hot after-school meals for northwest Ohio children every day. The group serves between 13,000 to 15,000 individual children a year.
President and CEO Wendi Huntley said that with rising grocery prices, the need continues to grow in our area, impacting 1 in 4 kids.
It's something that Huntley said could have a ripple effect through the rest of their life.
"Academic issues, behavioral issues, as well as health-related issues that can be avoided with nutritious meals," Huntley said.
Not only does Connecting Kids to Meals serve after-school meals for kids five days a week, it also packs snacks and meals so kids are taken care of for the weekend.
With school back in session, September is Hunger Action Month at Connecting Kids to Meals, where every monetary donation is matched by a corporate partner.
Huntley said that since Connecting Kids to Meals is part of a food purchasing group, it can use those dollars to really make a difference.
"We can stretch your dollars much further than you can if you go to the store and purchase items to donate to us," Huntley said. "For every, for example $10, you would normally be able to help us cover twenty meals. This month, it's going to help us cover forty meals. So whatever your donation is, it had double the impact this month."
Along with donations, Connecting Kids to Meals is always in need of volunteers.
John Eisenhart has been volunteering at Connecting Kids to Meals regularly for more than five years and says it is a worthy cause to help kids in need locally.
"There's a lot of need," Eisenhart said. "So, if you're retired or you're looking for something to do, there's plenty of need in the community, you just have to look for it."
Connecting Kids to Meals is located in downtown Toledo, sharing a building with the Cherry Street Mission. If you would like to donate or volunteer, visit the Connecting Kids to Meals website at this link.