blog

IN 2001, A GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WITNESSED SOME OF HER STUDENTS

DIGGING THROUGH THE TRASH FOR FOOD TO TAKE HOME FOR DINNER. MARY K. HOODHOOD,

A LONG-TIME ADVOCATE, HEARD THIS STORY AND SET INTO MOTION A GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY

RESPONSE: KIDS' FOOD BASKET. IN 2001, WE STARTED BY SERVING 125 KIDS EVERY WEEKDAY

AT THREE SCHOOLS THROUGH OUR SACK SUPPER PROGRAM. TODAY, WE SERVE NEARLY 8,000

EVERY DAY, BUT OUR WORK IS NOT DONE.

WE WORK FOR THE DAY WHEN EVERY CHILD IS NOURISHED. IN 2012, WE INTRODUCED OUR SECOND

LOCATION, REPLICATING OUR PROVEN GRAND RAPIDS MODEL TO HELP SERVE AND REACH MORE CHILDREN

IN NEED. WITH THE HELP OF THE MUSKEGON COMMUNITY, KIDS' FOOD BASKET INTRODUCED OUR SACK

SUPPER PROGRAM AT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ELEMENTARY IN APRIL 2012. SINCE THEN, KIDS' FOOD BASKET

HAS GROWN TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 1,100 CHILDREN AT FOUR CHILDREN SCHOOLS IN MUSKEGON EACH

WEEKDAY!

THE KIDS' FOOD BASKET MUSKEGON PROGRAM IS FULLY FUNDED AND SUPPORTED BY THE

MUSKEGON COMMUNITY. STEPHANIE KERR CATHEY IS THE MUSKEGON PROGRAM MANAGER. SHE CAN

BE REACHED BY PHONE 231-747-8575 OR EMAIL STEPHANIE.KERR.CATHEY@KIDSFOODBASKET.ORG