Newswise — The end of the school year often marks the end of a guaranteed meal for almost half of Detroit’s children. In Southeast Michigan, more than 300,000 free or reduced fee breakfasts and lunches are served daily during the school year.
The Children’s Hospital of Michigan Professional Nurse Council at the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) is leading a community effort to provide area children with a consistent daily meal over summer recess. The 7th Annual Cereal Drive kicks off on Friday, June 3, and runs through June 10, 2016. The cereal collected will be donated to Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan and distributed to over 530 food pantries throughout Southeastern Michigan.
“As one of the best children’s hospitals in the country, we do not just treat sick or injured children, we are also in the business of keeping them healthy,” said Luanne Thomas-Ewald, Interim CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. Ms. Thomas-Ewald added, “Our nurses and staff really embrace this drive and the important connection it makes between nutrition and healthy kids.”
Studies show that one in every five Michigan children lives in a household where breakfast is not guaranteed. More than 715,000 people in southeast Michigan will face hunger this coming year, 191,920 of them are children.
The Cereal Drive began in June, 2010, and that year the hospital collected 160,757 servings of cereal. Last year, as community awareness increased, we collected over 895,000 servings of cereal and were able to successfully stock the shelves of 535 food pantries within Southeastern Michigan. For the first time ever, we were able to feed children throughout the entire summer!
Donations of cereal will be collected from June 3 through June 10, 2016. Please visit Children’s Hospital of Michigan for a complete list of drop-off locations or, to provide a monetary donation for perishable breakfast items, please visit Gleaners Virtual Cereal Drive.
"Breakfast is such an important meal for growing children," said Gerry Brisson, president of Gleaners. "Yet, it's often skipped by families who struggle to make ends meet. The cereal provided through this remarkable drive will help thousands of kids start their days with the nourishment they need to be happy, not hungry, this summer."
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