About half of all Michigan K-12 students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in the 2018/19 school year, according to the Center for Educational Performance and Information. In the United States, one in six kids live with hunger. Without consistent meals during the school day, summer can be particularly hard for food insecure households. Thanks to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Care Network, and LifeSecure employees who donated more than 6,000 boxes of cereal, children across Michigan will have breakfast this summer. Donations have been or will be delivered to many regions in the state, benefiting the following organizations:
- Food Bank of Eastern Michigan in Flint
- Father Fred “Blessing in a Backpack” in Traverse City
- Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan
- Grand Rapids Public Schools “Meet Up and Eat Up”
- Holland Rescue Mission
- Kalamazoo Gospel Mission
- Salvation Army in Marquette
- YMCA of Lansing
Want to help? Reach out to any of these organizations or visit their websites to find out how you can donate breakfast items or any type of non-perishable food items. If you’re struggling with hunger this summer, the Michigan Department of Education’s Summer Food Service Program can help through its Meet Up and Eat Up program. Use this map to find a site near you where kids can receive nutritious meals during the summer. Like this post? Check these out:
- The Children's Center: Healing Detroit Families
- BCBSM Investments Focus on Community
- Supporting Communities Through the Michigan Health Endowment Fund
Photo credit: romrodinka
