GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) –- People wore orange Friday to raise awareness about a West Michigan organization tackling childhood hunger.
For the past 15 years, Kids’ Food Basket has been delivering sack suppers to schools so students don’t have to be hungry when they go home.
HUNGER HAPPENS HERE
One out of every five West Michigan children are affected by hunger, according to the nonprofit. In Kent County alone, 30,000 children are impacted.
“That’s like taking the Van Andel Arena and filling it up three times over… this is a huge issue,” said Kids’ Foods Basket Director Bridget Clark Whitney.
Whitney says by feeding these children, Kids’ Food Basket is eliminating a barrier of poverty.
“Hunger is both a symptom and a cause of poverty. And by providing healthy, good, nourishing evening meals each and every weekday, we can help kids succeed, both in school and in life,” she said.
Kids’ Food Basket serves 36 schools in Kent County and six schools between Holland and Muskegon, according to Whitney.
“All of our schools have over 70 percent of kids living in poverty, and so it’s really high need schools,” she added.
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