NORFOLK, Va. - No Kid Hungry recently distributed $839,552 in grants to help 33 Virginia school districts and community organizations.
The grant money will go towards enhancing child nutrition and emergency food programs during the school year and summer months. $77,000 will go towards four local organizations.
Since March 2020, the nonprofit has invested more than $5 million in Virginia.
According to the nonprofit, food insecurity remains a pressing issue in Virginia. They say one in eight Virginian children may face hunger this year. Feeding America reports that 14.4% of Virginia children under age 18 live in households that experienced limited or uncertain availability of safe, nutritious food at some point during the year.
Right now, school districts and community organizations are facing challenges in logistics and added costs, which plays a role in making it more difficult to provide meals for kids in need.
Currently, 92% of school districts nationwide cite trouble sourcing the food they need due to ongoing supply chain disruptions, and nearly 75% report staffing challenges, the nonprofit reports.
The following local organizations received a grant:
- Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia – $2,500
- Hampton Roads Urban Agriculture – $34,500
- Virginia Peninsula Foodbank (Hampton) – $15,000
- Youth and Family Empowerment Services (Norfolk) – $25,000
“Local school and community nutrition teams continue to go above and beyond to connect kids and families with meals during the pandemic, and this latest round of funding will help strengthen their work,” said No Kid Hungry Virginia Director Sarah Steely. “The grants will help teams leverage a variety of strategies to increase food access, such as purchasing meal service supplies and equipment, while supporting staffing and food costs.”
To learn about local meal programs, visit your school district’s website for details.
