KFB Situation Overview

The Problem
The United States and even Kent County are not exempt from the problem of poverty and food insecurity. In 2004, the American Community Survey reported that 14% of households with children under 18 live in poverty in Kent County. According to a report done by the USDA in 2006, 12.6 million children in the United States are living in a food insecure household, which is 17.6% of all children living in the United States.

The Consequences
The federal school program that provides breakfast and lunch to children supplies around 1,000 calories. To thrive, children should consume between 1,800 and 2,000 calories per day. Children that do not receive the adequate nutrition that their body needs often show the following symptoms:

• Below average weight and height
• Pale complexion
• Dark Circles under the eyes
• Fatigue - low energy
• Slow reaction time
• Trouble paying attention
• Poor grades and attendance

The Solution
Since there is no government sponsored program available, Kids Food Basket was created to combat the childhood food insecurity problem in Grand Rapids. Our organization provides a healthy sack supper to approximately 1,346 elementary school children at 13 schools. These children have been identified by school officials as being nutritionally at-risk and would not otherwise be receiving an evening meal. The bagged supper in addition to the federal school food program puts the children at the daily-recommended requirement. Children who receive the appropriate daily requirement of nutrition have better attendance, grow stronger, and have improved grades at school.

A Look to the Future
Kids Food Basket hopes to serve food insecure children at every elementary school in Kent County with 80% or more students receiving free or reduced school lunch. With increased resources we hope to include the 16 schools on our waiting list in our services. We want to ensure that every child in Grand Rapids gets the food he or she needs to lead healthy and productive lives.