McGaw YMCA addresses child hunger with year-round food program

Submitted by McGaw YMCA

All year long, the McGaw YMCA has been working to handle starvation in Evanston by making certain that each little one in YMCA packages has entry to wholesome meals and snacks.

In accordance with the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA), one in 4 youngsters within the U.S. is at present going through starvation—almost double what it was previous to the COVID-19 pandemic. As people and households proceed to face the rising value of meals and different bills, starvation continues to be a considerable problem in Evanston and throughout the nation. The YMCA is working to fill that hole.

The Y’s Meals Program is a part of a year-round effort to handle little one starvation. The McGaw Y distributes wholesome meals and snacks to hundreds of youth and households enrolled in its little one care, preschool, Head Begin, and Faculty’s Out afterschool packages by the USDA’s Little one and Grownup Care Meals Program (CACFP). Summer season meals are distributed by the USDA’s Summer season Meals Service Program (SFSP). Program enlargement has been made doable by help from the YMCA of the USA, foundations, and particular person group donors like The Lady’s Membership of Evanston.

Beginning in 2020, amid faculty closures associated to COVID-19, the McGaw Y supplied 800 free Seize-and-go Meals to youngsters ages 18 and below to make sure all youngsters had uninterrupted entry to wholesome and nutritious meals.

In 2021, because of funding made doable by Jewel-Osco Basis, the McGaw YMCA expanded its response to meals insecurity. All through the spring and summer season, the Y distributed Seize-and-go Meals, Weekend Backpacks, Farmers to Households Packing containers, and Grocery Present Playing cards to program contributors, offering 78,000 wholesome meals in Evanston.

This yr, the Y has supplied almost 164,000 wholesome meals to Evanston youngsters and households in Y packages. Moreover, free Seize-and-go Meals and Weekend Backpack Meals have been distributed to all households within the Y’s Head Begin and Faculty’s Out Afterschool Program on the Household Focus Constructing. McGaw Y’s Meals Program is anticipated to distribute roughly 167,000 wholesome meal choices to youth and households enrolled in Y little one care, preschool, Head Begin, and Faculty’s Out afterschool packages all through the 2022-23 faculty yr.

Probably the most longstanding companion of the Y’s Meals Program is the Walmart Basis. With their help the YMCA can proceed to offer meals to Evanston youngsters to assist guarantee they get the vitamin they want to reach faculty and attain their full potential.