Over 30,000 children in Lucas County live at or below the poverty level. Toledo is ranked among the 10 US cities at greatest risk of not providing needy citizens, especially children, with nutritious meals. When the school year ends, so do school lunch programs that give each child at least one meal a day. Poor and hungry, some desperate children dive into dumpsters to search for their next meal. Connecting Kids to Meals has coordinated a community-wide initiative that channels food to children through over 80 social service agencies. These agencies offer educational programs, tutoring, art and culture, sports activities, and safe havens in the summer months. During the school year, many of these agencies count on us to provide snacks or dinners for students attending after-school learning and sports programs. Since we began operating in 2002, we have served over 6 million meals to hungry kids in need. Our generous donors and committed staff and volunteers have enabled Feed Lucas County Children to become not only one of Ohio’s largest and most successful summer food programs, but also an organization serving over 185 nonprofit schools, churches, and other social service organizations.
