BATTLE CREEK, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — In order to help fight child hunger, the Kellogg Company has announced a large grant to the United Way of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region.
“Many local nonprofits are seeing unprecedented need in the community right now, particularly around access to food,” Associate Director of Community Impact for United Way BCKR Laurel Clark said. “Kellogg’s support means that more children and more families in Battle Creek are being fed. Getting that basic need met is crucial as we partner to address other challenges facing families.”
As a leading partner of United Way locally, Kellogg is pledging more than $31,000 to aid local summer hunger relief.
“Feeding children in need has been especially challenging this summer, because there is no standard model in place for getting meals to kids in communities due to the pandemic,” Kellogg Company’s Senior Director of Philanthropy and Social Impact Stephanie Slingerland said. “We commend United Way and its partners for their agility in identifying solutions that can best support the community.”
United Way will allocate the funds to two United Way partner organizations leading hunger relief efforts this summer:
- The Battle Creek Family YMCA is providing 100 hot meals prepared by Catering by Chef Cherry to children and their families twice weekly through September. Deliveries go to 25 food-insecure households, with the rest available for pickup by others in need on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Charitable Union is receiving grant dollars to supplement its existing Gap Nutrition program for infants. The program provides formula while a baby awaits their initial WIC appointment, and can provide a monthly supplement to babies once they are on WIC. WIC is a supplemental feeding program that requires families to purchase formula monthly. This program is available to Calhoun County residents six days a week.
“More than half of the babies born in our community are born into poverty, and COVID-19 is only compounding their current needs,” said Teresa Allen, CEO of Charitable Union. “We want the very best for every baby in our community. We know that if they are malnourished in the first 12 months, it impacts their future development.”
Kellogg’s grant is part of its global commitment to create Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 through addressing the interconnected issues of food security, climate resiliency, and well-being for people, communities and the planet.
To contribute to ongoing COVID recovery efforts, donations can be made directly to United Way of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region here.
