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Taking action in your local community to fight child hunger

Fighting hunger through new program

Fighting hunger through new program

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Did you know, one in six children in the U.S. don’t know where their next meal is coming from?

The summer is a particularly vulnerable time for kids who rely on free or reduced-price meals during the school year. The sad reality is that more than 22 million kids receive free or reduced cost lunch during the school year, yet only 3.8 million kids have access during the summer, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Stacey McDaniel, Anti-Hunger Initiatives Specialist at YMCA of the USA, says that looks can also be deceiving – children who appear obese are often nutrient-starved yet over-served empty calories. Hunger can seriously impact a child’s physical and mental health growth, cognitive development, and performance in school, all which depend on receiving adequate nutrition. To help alleviate this need, the Y helps kids reach their full potential by providing free access to healthy snacks and meals when school’s out for summer.

McDaniel shares interesting facts about child hunger and ways families can access the Y’s Summer Food Program, such as: 

  • Why child hunger is much worse during the summer 
  • How the Y provides nutritious meals for kids and teens at more than 1,100 locations 
  • How to take action in your local community to help alleviate child hunger

For more information, visit www.ymca.net/summerfood.  

SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY YMCA