Healthy Start Program

THE NEED

1 in 5 children in the United States live in food-insecure households. The District of Columbia, in particular has one of the highest rates, with 1 in 4 households, with children, facing food insecurity.

Over 56,000 children in the D.C. area participate in free and reduced-price lunch in school. What happens during the weekends or during long holiday breaks when these children don’t have the option to get free and reduced-price lunch in school? Where does their next meal come from?

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Hunger has long-term negative effects on children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Children that suffer from hunger often show aggressive, oppositional, and anxious behaviors. They also have a hard time focusing in school, which ultimately causes problems with academic achievement and has negative long-term consequences, like repeating grades.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

HOPE Multiplied will deliver healthy and nutritious food to children from low-income families over weekends and long holidays, including summer and winter break, when there are no guaranteed meals from schools. We plan to pilot this food delivery program during Winter break, 2019 and will launch the program officially in 2020.

HOW WE’RE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

Through a partnership with local public schools, we plan to serve 25 elementary aged children in the D.C. area who live in high poverty, food insecure households by collecting healthy and nutritious food and filling backpacks with both perishable and non-perishable foods for children to take home.

With backpacks full of healthy and nutritious foods, like fruits, vegetables, and granola bars, children will have the option to eat when they feel hungry, even when there is no guarantee of food at home.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

We are looking for partners and investors who seek to make a lasting impact for children here in the D.C. area. We need donated healthy and nutritious food items that do not require cooking. With your help, we would like to provide children with fruits, vegetables, cereal, granola bars, and other healthy options on a regular basis for them to eat when they are hungry. All in-kind donations will be fully tax deductible and promoted in our communications with donors and volunteers.

To volunteer with our Healthy Start Program, or to request more information click here